


Monster Hunter: Origins

by StartersoverLegends



Category: Monster Hunter (Video Games)
Genre: Adventure, F/M, Harem, Hurt/Comfort, Kirin, Monster Girls, Multi, OC, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-04-24
Updated: 2019-05-15
Packaged: 2020-01-31 07:41:04
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Underage
Chapters: 9
Words: 110,919
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18586789
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/StartersoverLegends/pseuds/StartersoverLegends
Summary: In the world of Monster Hunter, there have always been tensions between man and beast. But when an ancient force threatens them both, can one hunter unite them with some help from the mysterious 'Origin' monsters? Join Riaku Haidoji, a teenager from Pokke, in his quest to become a great monster hunter. Little does he know which unexpected turns await him on his adventure...





	1. Dreams

**Author's Note:**

> Hey there! Thank you for taking an interest in my story. This is the first work of mine that I'm posting to AO3, as somewhat of a test to see how I like it here. This story is on another site as well, along with all of my other fanfiction writing. 
> 
> I'd like to take a moment to give a few notes about Origins- it is a romance/adventure fic that I started in 2016. Shortly after its introduction I took a break from it to focus on other things, and have only recently begun working on it again. It is almost entirely made up of original characters (which is why there are no character tags in its summary), barring species from the Monster Hunter franchise. The story places an emphasis on character growth and romance, and is a harem fic in which the main protagonist ends up with multiple girls. Explicit scenes of violent and sexual nature are included in this story, and Riaku is 17 during some of these events. As such, he's technically underaged- though, for obvious reasons, the 'underage' tag is used a bit gingerly in this case. 
> 
> Please note that a couple of years passed between writing chapter 4 and chapter 5- therefore, you can expect my writing to improve at around that point. Someday I'll rework the earlier chapters to meet my current style, though for now I'll just promise that you can expect improvement further along into the story.
> 
> Alright... I think that covers everything. Thanks again for looking into my little fic, and I hope that you'll enjoy what I'm making here.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Riaku is plagued by the memory of his first village, the destruction of which constantly haunts his dreams. Life is no walk in the park when he awakes, either, as he lives in poverty with his adoptive mother, Gaia. Regardless, Riaku aspires to become a great monster hunter, a hero who can provide a better life for Gaia while also protecting others from his past misfortune.

Fire...

The first thing I can remember is fire being everywhere. I doubt that at the time I had any idea what the glowing orange lights surrounding me had been, though as I keep looking back at the memory, aged and blurry as it is, the fact is unmistakable to me now. The flickering pillars of heat and crackle around me were definitely fire.

The nearby screams of anguish and terror had all but confirmed that the ravenous flame was spreading ever faster, consuming thatch and other dry wood houses in order to grow and reach more of the villagers. I can still faintly remember shadows rushing about between the flames- some carrying buckets of water in a vain attempt at fighting the line of destruction that crept ever forward. Others would willingly run into doorways or freshly seared holes in walls, only to return momentarily with certain precious belongings.

Unfortunately, some of these brave few would never make it back out.

Given the integrity of such primitive buildings, some would simply collapse under the strain of ravenous fire that descended upon us. Many of the more dry structures would even combust upon contact with the heat, instantly trapping people and pets alike inside an ungodly vertex of flame.

It was this horrible and tragic scene that began the chronology of my memories, all the way until present day. At the time I was only a year or so old, and had been sleeping peacefully through a deceivingly tranquil night. Later events would completely erase the illusion of peace from that evening… and rather quickly at that. By the time that I had been jostled from my rest by the sounds of snapping wood and panicked shouting the situation had already become incredibly dangerous for our entire village.

Like all nights I had been in my parent's hut and sleeping soundly in my crib, which was placed beside an opening in the hardened clay wall that made up our home. This opening was a window of sorts, providing me ventilation from outside as well as providing a limited view of the village. Through that opening I suppose I would usually hear the sounds of local music, songbirds, and emperor crickets… _That_ night, though, introduced me to a new sound. One that I still hope I'll never have to hear again.

Our village, being a small and independent settlement in a contrastingly vast region of hills and plains, was very compact compared to a lot of the city-settlements like us. Even places like Pokke were larger and more branched out, if that gives a reference of size. This tight-knit setup meant that houses and shops alike were mostly within an arm's length of each other, which was great for bringing the community together. But fire breaking out? Not so good.

It was an issue that had never needed to be addressed before then, as the area my village was settled in was also beside the branch of a large river. I know this much because the river was the source of water that the villagers outside were using to fight the flames. So why then was our settlement being engulfed by flame? For a time this was fleetingly pondered by those outside as well. If any of them had actually known the answer they likely would have run like hell for their lives rather than battle the fire on foot.

Shortly after I was roused from sleep by the commotion outside my window another sound met my ears- this time from within my house. From one of the few other cramped rooms within the hut came a violent rustling, followed by voices arguing back and forth. Groggy infant that I had been, I lazily looked over at the doorway to my room only to see my father rushing past while frantically shouting something. It was only when my mother also came into view that the full effect of the dire situation hit me. She was obviously in a panic, exclaiming after my father with a look of worry and dread. Then she cut a look at me, and hesitated only for a second before quickly making her way into my room.

At that point I must have begun crying aloud as a result of the confusing and negative atmosphere around me. I know this much because my mother wasted no time in lifting me into her arms and pulling my head close to her chest, bouncing me up and down gently while whispering comfort into my ear. Maybe this would have quelled my outburst had that same expression of worry not been still residing on her beautiful face. Additionally, she wasn't looking at _me_ as she usually did when utilizing this technique, but instead was staring out of my window.

The furious glare of flame outside caused an orange outline to form on the features of her semi-tan skin and illuminated her slightly widened sapphire eyes. Curious, I turned my head to follow her gaze with tears still blurring my vision. Within an instant of doing so, before the image of the road outside could even register within my young mind, things took a drastic turn for the worst.

_**CRRRAAAACK!** _

With a terrible crash and a sudden scream from the woman holding me, the whole world was flipped on its side. The house was still shaking when I realized that my mother was no longer cradling me, but was instead laying on the ground with my body clutched close to hers in a defensive posture. A bright flash from outside of the hut illuminated the room around us for a moment as the shouting and panic outside suddenly turned into screams of complete terror and anguish.

My mother quickly rose to her feet and faced the window, holding me tightly as she did so. From where I was in her arms it was easy to hear an abrupt gasp escape her throat when she saw what was going on outside. She was frozen in the moment for a beat, staring outside with an expression that was growing more and more horrified with each fraction of a second. Then she quickly turned away and began running out of my room. From this new vantage point I received a fleeting view of what was going on through the window. Every single house adjacent to us was completely engulfed in a yellow-white flame that extended well past the rooftops, like a stacked bonfire. Below the billowing towers of fry were the darkened figures of scattering villagers rushing every which way…

…And above the canopy of dancing white fire was another pitch-black shadow. One that was very different from the people running down below. This one was large… _very_ large. It was probably as long as two of the burning houses, with a wingspan that likely doubled this length. As the shaded wings that lifted it above the destruction below swung up and down slowly its head remained still, fixated on its next target. This was proven by the two glowing orange orbs glaring down from above a maw brimming with fresh fire.

Even at my age, without a single clue what this beast was or what it was doing in my village, I knew to be afraid of it. It was evil, and as its glowing eyes shifted onto my home I experienced my first ever encounter with the feeling of dread.

My mother must have felt this as well as she bolted from my room to the front door. My house was still miraculously untouched by the monster's wrath, which became even more unbelievable as she threw the door open before us. Immediately a gust of intense heat and raining embers met us, though she shielded me as much as she could with her slender arms.

The next few moments would be forever engraved into my mind. As my mother ran as quickly as she could out of the house and away from the giant shadow I was exposed to the reality of death several times over. Burning and decimated corpses lined the streets in various unnatural and twisted positions. Even worse than these were the still living, who each fought to escape despite the injuries they had sustained. Some of the living even refused to part from the dead- such was the case of a middle-aged woman who desperately cradled her unmoving son with wails of despair. I was watching from over my mother's shaking shoulder when a nearby house collapsed amid a torrent of flames onto the woman, engulfing both of their bodies whole in an instant.

Many people would have trouble running away from such a horrible scene, from the cries of despair and the horrible stench of burning flesh. My mother, however, wasn't one of those people. With a series of broken sobs as her only reaction to this chaos she stared straight ahead, holding me tightly as though I were the most precious thing in our village.

Her steps were heavy and rapid as she fled the scene, one arm holding me while the other held my head tight to her breasts. However, my face wasn't trained on her- instead I was staring at my village, the entire world as I knew it, burning to ash at an incredible and terrifying pace.

It was a ground-shaking roar that finally caused me to look up from the flaming houses and bodies, as my young ears rang with the shrill cry. My mother flinched against this sound as well, but didn't react when I too let out a sudden scream. She probably figured that my outburst was a response to the destruction that we were finally exiting, as we approached the edge of the village.

The truth was much worse than that.

As she had her back turned to the majority of the ruin, running away with all of her strength, my mother couldn't see what I could as I stared past her shoulder. If she had, perhaps she would have ducked, or sought some cover. Though I doubt she would have had much time to do so.

A fireball, great in size and shining with intense heat, was hurling at us from beneath two distantly glowing eyes, set in a deadly glare. The orb of heat grew in my vision as it quickly shot over the rest of the debris to reach my fleeing mother.

I have no doubt that the fireball from that beast would have been the last thing I'd ever see had my mother not noticed it and reacted. Tightly clinching my head and bending over me in a defensive stance, my mother braced herself while pulling my tiny form toward the center of her body. A split second of peace met us after she did this, in which my mother stared down at me protectively.

And then… everything in my tiny, simplistic world changed.

There was the sound of an explosion before my mother and I were sent flying through the air, flipping wildly several feet above the ground. I heard a high-pitched shriek of pain coming from all directions as the world spun in streaks of black and fiery red.

A second impact shook us as my mother's body finally crashed into the ground, bouncing hard off of the earth before rolling to a sudden stop. Despite the fact that we had stopped moving, my head was spinning and stars danced in my vision. I must have started to cry out again because I felt two firm yet soft hands pull me closer into my mother's embrace, as a soft voice came from above me.

"Shh, Shh… It's all going to be alright…"

I raised my head to look at my mother, and only then realized the impact of what had just happened. Her hair was wild and matted with blood, some of which was now trickling down her wounded face. Deep cuts and bruises were scattered across her cheeks and forehead, while her nose was bent in an unnatural manner. One of her eyes, seconds before beautiful and blue, was now swollen shut while the other was barely focused anymore.

"Riaku…" She murmured, her voice now soft and weak, "Riaku, my dear child…"

Now her grasp on my body was weakening, and I started to slide away from her embrace. Regardless she stared at me with her one working eye, tears now beginning to well and run down her hurt cheek.

"Riaku, you're going to do great things… That's why… Y-your father and I…"

Her body suddenly hitched as a loud cough ripped from her mouth, bringing with it a spray of dark blood. She fought for a moment to regain herself before collapsing, and turning back to face me, though now her breath was much more labored and slow.

"We love you very much… I hope you'll remember… Riaku…"

And with that, the rest of her life faded from her. Her eye suddenly lost focus, though it remained trained on me as I lay beside her. The warmth from her body slowly left with her spirit, and it wasn't long then before my infantile cries mingled with the cries of those still perishing within the flaming husk of my home.

Embers danced in the sky that night as all of the other voices were gradually silenced. By the time that the sun had risen only one small, broken cry remained.

…

"Who have we here..?"

I pulled my face away from the tear-drenched garment that my mother was wearing and looked up toward the source of the deep voice. Above me stood three men, whom had approached without my notice. All three wore bulky suits of metal and hide, accompanied with different types of swords that hung around their backs.

"A babe. Mother must have fled when the beast attacked." Another one of the men said, his face hidden behind his helmet.

"Who would have guessed that the only survivor would be a child…" The first voice again spoke, now revealed to be a man in a similar getup to the other. The only difference between them was the color, as this man wore a suit comprised of deep blue scales, while the other's was red. "Do you know who this woman is, Makai?"

"Yes. She's the woman of the Haidoji household."

This particular man was very different from the other two. Instead of armor he wore a heavy fur coat, despite the fact that the morning air was cool at worst.

"Wife, mother, and tailor. Her husband and I went on a few local hunts years back. Became friends, and I even attended their marriage."

"So her husband is a hunter?" The red man asked, "Could that mean he's still alive?"

There was a grunt and the man in the coat crossed his arms. "I knew him well. The last thing he would do is leave his wife and child alone like this." He paused to shake his head, then continued in a somber voice. "He must have fought the monster alongside the other village hunters. And if he's not here now… Damn it…"

There was silence for a moment before I let out a whimper, causing the three men to direct their attention back to me.

"Must have been a hell of a beast to do this." The blue suit said, "I suspect an Elder Dragon. But we need to do something about this kid before we can investigate any more."

"Well said." The man in the red suit agreed. "Got any ideas, Makai?"

The man in the coat grunted in the affirmative. "There's a woman back in Pokke- a farmer, named Gaia. Always wanted a family of her own but she's infertile. To make matters worse, her own husband passed away a while back." He paused to look down at me, his face overshadowed by the fur cap he was wearing. "I'll take the young Haidoji to her on my way back to the Guild. With any luck she'll take care of him."

"Sounds good." Red said. "But it's quite a trek from here to Pokke. You sure you can carry him all that way?"

Makai chuffed and shook his head. "Ever have to deliver wyvern eggs before? Well I've done that, but with Khezu whelps. Compared to those high-voltage volatiles, this youngster won't be a problem."

The other two men nodded and said their farewells to Makai, before walking off toward the low-burning embers and rubble that lay in the distance. Once they were gone, the man in the coat looked down at me and gave a sad smile from under his cap.

"Come now, we'd best be on our way."

He bent over, his arms outstretched toward me. At first I willingly let him lift me into the air and cradle me, until he turned and took a step away from where we were. When I realized that the man was carrying me away from my mother I cried out and reached out toward her crumpled form from over his shoulder.

"Now, Now," He said in an attempt to calm me down, but the further we got from her body the more panicked I became. Before long I was screaming and thrashing in his arms, desperate to return to my mother. But before I could make any progress in escaping the man lifted me by my underarms and turned me so that we were eye level with each other. From this perspective I could get a better look at the middle-aged man who held me outstretched in his arms. His deep brown eyes were weary and sympathetic as they met with mine, though his facial features were stern.

"Please be calm, Riaku. It's all going to be alright."

I paused. Those were the same words my mother had used before…

I saw her face in his features. Her deep blue eyes, her friendly smile. Her reassurance, her compassion, her love…

" _It's all going to be alright, Riaku…"_

" _You're going to do great things Riaku..."_

" _Your father and I love you very much Riaku…"_

" _I hope you'll remember… Riaku…"_

I began to thrash more, screaming louder and louder with a mixture of fear, pain, and sorrow. I didn't want to be taken away, I wanted my parents. I wanted yesterday, a time before any of this ever happened. And yet, despite how loudly I wailed, I could still hear my mother's voice…

_Riaku, Riaku, Riaku…_

* * *

"Riaku! Riaku, wake up!"

With a powerful shake Riaku Haidoji was roused from his sleep and shot upward in his bed. With wide eyes blue as sapphires he rapidly looked around the room, his breathing heavy and sweat running down his face.

As the terrible dream he had been having slowly dissolved into reality, Riaku realized that he wasn't in the arms of the man who took him from his mother- rather he was in his bedroom, which was now illuminated by the morning sunlight filtering in through a window placed beside his bed.

"Oh good, you're finally awake," A soft, feminine voice said from beside him. Turning his head, Riaku could see the person who had woken him up and relaxed.

"I'm sorry Gaia… I woke you up again, didn't I..?" He spoke softly, rubbing the back of his head apologetically.

The woman sitting on the bed beside him sighed but shook her head.

"Don't be sorry sweetheart, I know you can't help it." She reassured him with a small smile.

Gaia Sol was a tan woman with average height and a healthy build for someone in her forties. Right now she was closely watching her adopted son with worried hazel green eyes from the side of his bed. It was obvious that she had just woken up as her dark hair, which usually fell past her shoulders save for a braid that wrapped around her head, was a mess yet to be tamed.

"…Was it the same dream again?" She asked, her tone serious.

Riaku hated making Gaia worry about him, but also knew how vain it was to try lying to her. The woman's intuition always seemed to be perfect- a lesson that he had learned several times over since he had started living with her.

"Yeah…" He said quietly, looking down to avoid her gaze.

She didn't say anything in response, and for a minute only watched the pained expression on his face as he recalled the events from his reoccurring nightmare. Then she slowly scooted closer and pulled him into a loving embrace, one of her hands slowly running through his hair in a gentle and rhythmic loop.

"You know that I'm here for you dear." She whispered, before planting a kiss on the top of his head.

"Yeah, I know. Thanks Gaia." He answered.

Gaia hummed in acknowledgment before releasing him from her hug and standing from the bed.

"Well now, might as well get a start on the day. Why don't you get dressed for school and I'll start breakfast?" She asked with a smile.

"Sounds good. I'll be down in a bit." He agreed.

Once Gaia had left the room and closed the door behind her, Riaku stretched then turned and hopped out of bed. With a yawn and a scratch of his back the teenager crossed over to his bedroom window and opened it, letting a cool gust of mountain air inside his room.

"Guess we're not the only ones deciding to get an early start on the day," Riaku thought aloud as he was met with the sounds of merchant carts, local music, and conversation from the street outside. Pokke being a relatively small mountain settlement, it was common for the village outside to be busy and full of activity. It also helped that a major Hunter's Guild hall was placed in the center of the settlement, drawing monster hunters from far and wide into Pokke.

Monster hunters… People who make a living by hunting and capturing dangerous beasts from all around the world. Of course their duties went beyond simply tracking and killing things, as monster hunters also have a variety of responsibilities regarding the safety of others.

Just like the three men who had rescued Riaku when he was younger.

That was one of the many reasons that Riaku aspired to become a monster hunter himself. Also, if he _did_ manage to become one then maybe he could prevent tragedies from happening at other villages as well. Though he'd be lying if his reasons for becoming a hunter were all as selfless as those.

Riaku shivered against the chilly air flowing in from the mountains outside and turned toward his dresser. After stripping from his pajama pants and changing into fur trousers and a jacket he was now ready to face the day. However, before he could head out he turned to a lightly cracked full-body mirror that rested against the wall and examined his appearance.

His medium-length dark brown hair needed a little bit of taming before it would fall as it usually did, landing about halfway down his neck. His somewhat tan skin greatly accentuated his ocean blue eyes- the same bright eyes that his mother had once had. He stood a few inches shy of six feet, and was lean in stature. He might have actually been considered skinny, had Gaia not loaded him up with chores and garden work over the past couple of years. This, along with his own personal training, had earned the young man a muscular form fitting for his proportions. Not that he could see them now, as he wore a tan/grey fur and tarp outfit that combatted the chilly air outside.

Once he had ensured that he looked ready for school, the teenager crossed his room to the door and headed out into the hall outside. Well, 'hall' was a bit of an overstatement.

In truth, the house that Riaku and Gaia lived in was a step below quaint. Ever since her husband had died while on a hunt, Gaia had made a less than comfortable living off of selling fresh vegetables from her garden. It was honest work, but even feeding the both of them was a challenge sometimes. The house was a reflection of her financial struggles, and even with Riaku helping with the garden it was difficult to scrape by.

Therefore, the second story was nothing more than Riaku's bedroom, which had been converted from attic space when Gaia had adopted him. Outside of his bedroom was a short flight of stairs that landed in the relatively large living quarters- an open room with a heating furnace and center table, as well as a corner that Gaia had converted into a sort of kitchen. The kitchen was little more than a pantry, cooking kettle, and low counter, but Gaia made good use of the modest accommodations.

Four doorways lined the walls of the living quarters: the front door, which was placed opposite the room to the back door, which led to the outdoor garden. On the opposite wall to the stairs were two other rooms, one being Gaia's bedroom and the other a small restroom equipped with toilet, wash basin, and tub.

Riaku quickly made his way down the stairs to find that Gaia was busy in her kitchen area. As he walked over to the table in the middle of the room and took a seat, she too finished what she was doing and turned to him with a smile, holding a platter with two cups and a plate on it.

"I was just about to make sure you didn't fall back asleep," Gaia said with a small laugh, "It would be a shame if you were late to your last day of school."

"I don't think I would mind," Riaku said under his breath as Gaia set the platter on the table and sat down across from him.

"Now, now. I know that school isn't your favorite thing in the world, but one more day won't kill you." Gaia responded while passing Riaku a cup of herbal tea and a platter with a slice of toast on it. "Besides, tomorrow you get to leave that school for the hunter's academy. That's one step closer to becoming a hunter."

Riaku struggled to tear a bite off of the toast, before sighing.

"Also one step closer to bread that isn't stale."

See, that was the other reason that Riaku wanted to become a monster hunter so badly. Not only was it a noble cause in his eyes, but it was also good for pay. Monster hunters made commission from quests they completed, and the tougher the monster was, the more the job paid. Riaku had heard stories from school of hunters who made several thousand dollars from single hunts- and if that were true, then it meant he could provide a much better life for him and Gaia both.

Gaia looked at him with a sad smile. "I know how much you want to buy us a better life, but please promise me that you won't do anything dangerous. Money is nice, but I would take your safety over being rich any day."

He smiled at her reassuringly. "Nothing is going to happen to me. Not until you're living in a mansion with an entire farm of crops out the back."

"Nothing better happen to you even then," Gaia said seriously, "You know that you're the world to me. And if the only way to keep you from getting hurt is to lock you in your room, then so be it. I've got some chain laying around here somewhere."

Riaku smiled then took a long drink from his tea. That was what he loved so much about Gaia: even though he wasn't her biological son, she treated him as though he were her own flesh and blood. She gave him food even though money was tight, even if that meant she would go hungry. Of course Riaku would protest every time it happened, but she simply wouldn't take 'no' for an answer.

That's why she deserved so much better than this. He wanted to pay her back for everything she had done for him, even though he doubted that she would accept a cent for that reason. Regardless, he had already decided that his first reward from a quest would go straight to her, to buy whatever she pleased.

"So, Riaku," Gaia spoke again after a spell of silence, "I've been meaning to ask you something."

"What is it?" He asked once he had finished his tea and attempted to eat more toast.

"I know that you're eager to become a hunter, but are you sure that you want to attend the academy _tomorrow_? Right after you graduate from basic schooling, and on your birthday, to boot?"

"Yes, I've made up my mind on that." He answered simply.

"But sweetheart, while it's true that seventeen is the earliest age for academy registration, most hunters don't start their careers until they're in their twenties," Gaia explained as she took a sip of her tea as well. "Not that I'm trying to stop you, but maybe it would be better to hold off until you overcome certain… issues."

Riaku grimaced. He knew exactly which 'issues' she was referring to.

He was deathly afraid of fire.

It had all stemmed from that one night, the earliest point in his memories. Ever since his first village burned down, every time he saw fire he would freeze. He hated that fact, as it greatly clashed with his aspirations of becoming a monster hunter, but there was nothing he could do about it. Gaia was hopeful that with more time he would overcome the fear on his own, but Riaku knew somewhere deep down that the only way he could truly get over it was to face his fears with a weapon in hand. Yet another reason to become a hunter.

"It will be fine," He assured her, "With any luck I'll even get rid of that stupid phobia during training. What's important to me is that I start hunting as soon as possible, despite anything that might convince me to do otherwise."

Gaia studied his face for a moment before sighing. "You always were the stubborn type. But whatever you want to do, I'll support you."

He chuckled. "Thanks Gaia. And thanks for breakfast too. The tea was great."

The two of them stood, Riaku turning for the door while Gaia began to gather the dishes.

"Uh huh, and how about the toast?" She asked, narrowing her eyes at him.

"Um- oh would you look at the time! I have to get going if I don't want to miss school." He explained, rubbing the back of his head and giving her a sheepish smile.

She hummed skeptically as she carried the dishes into the kitchen and set them on the counter.

"All right then, you better get going. I'll see you tonight." She said, "And don't forget about helping me pull turnips when you get home!"

"Wouldn't dream of it," He joked as he made his way to the door. "See you tonight!"

And with that, he was off. Running straight to school every morning then back home in the evening was a part of Riaku's exercise routine, so as soon as he was clear of the door he sped off into the distance.

Gaia stared at the door after him as she began washing the dishes, shaking her head and humming to herself.

"There goes my little hunter…"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed chapter one! I wrote this several years ago and only recently got into working on Origins again. My recent updates start around chapter 5, so expect some improvement in my writing around that point. Regardless, I hope you found this intro to be serviceable! Thanks for reading!


	2. School

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Riaku attends his last day at school before heading to the Hunter's Academy. In this chapter we meet acquaintances and strangers alike; some friendly, some hostile, and some that fall in-between.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey there! Here's chapter 2. If you're reading this then I'd like to thank you for taking an interest in my story.
> 
> *Name Pronunciations* 
> 
> Rinko Okita - (Reen-Koh) (Oh-Kee-Tah)  
> Orman Oji - (Or-man) (Oh-Jee)  
> Mikuna Lao - (Me-Kuun-Ah) (La-ow)
> 
> Without further ado, please enjoy!

Riaku ran through the familiar streets of his home, passing the same things that he saw nearly every day. A line of merchant stands, a goods cart or two being pulled by a tamed aptonoth, or hunters standing around on street corners discussing recent hunts. As he turned to run along the white fence line bordering the well-known Pokke Farm, Riaku turned his head and watched as miners, fishermen, beekeepers, and farmers all worked by their own trades in perfect harmony. Also residing within the fence were popo and aptonoth alike, used for pulling plows or produce carts.

It amazed Riaku that some of the gentler monsters could coexist with humans, and could even be productive if raised correctly. Aptonoth and popo were the perfect example of this, as the towering creatures didn't look fitted for a human settlement in the slightest.

Aptonoth were large, dinosaur-like monsters that stood on four muscular legs. Their heads somewhat resembled that of a horse, save for the spikes that grew along their jawline or the large crest that peeked from behind their skulls. Their long necks merged into a muscular body covered with grey scales that varied in shade with each given specimen. However, the most notable thing about the aptonoth's appearance was the long tail that each bore for protection. At the end of the tail was a clublike appendage lined with six threatening spikes. Despite its deadly appearance, however, the aptonoth was actually a very skittish monster that was known for keeping a considerable amount of distance between its heard and any sort of threat.

Popo bore similarities to mammoths, in that they were large, furry mammals with two impressive tusks sprouting from the sides of their mouths. Well adapted to the cold, popo were covered with a thick coat of scruffy hair that grew from head to toe. Because of this hair, popos' eyes were almost always concealed- in fact, you couldn't see anything on a popo's face above its large nose. Most of the Popo in the farm had the same coloration as is common with the species, being a dark brown scruff that turns more of a tan color toward the top of its back and neck.

Riaku watched the men and monsters alike work as he ran by, waving to a couple of miners who greeted him from beside the fence. After that it wasn't long before he cleared the end of the fence line and turned down the main walk of Pokke village.

While the rest of the settlement was busy, there was no compare to the square at the center of Pokke. In it were blacksmiths, goods and trade shops, the town Elder's residence, bars, and not to mention the nicer housing to be found for miles around. However, none of these things caught Riaku's eye like the towering Hunter's Guild hall at the opposite end of the square. Not only was the building gargantuan compared to the shops and houses surrounding it, but it was also packed with tried-and-true monster hunters.

Riaku slowed to a stop for the first time since he had left home and stared at the great building. Sometimes it was hard to remember that right next to it was the Monster Hunter Academy, given that the later was a very small building beside the hall, and was easily overshadowed.

 _One more day,_ Riaku thought to himself as he caught his breath, _One more day until I begin my journey as a monster hunter. Then everything will change._

Finally, the teenager pried his eyes from the busy square in front of him and continued on his path. Turning to his left, it wasn't long before he had jogged to the front of his schoolhouse. There wasn't really much to say about it; the small wooden structure housed only one classroom that could barely hold the twenty-some kids from around the village. The students were of all different ages and many were on a completely different learning plan from Riaku and the rest of his age group. The soon-to-be graduates totaled five- four of which wanted to become hunters and would start training tomorrow.

Riaku was gladly a part of that number.

Once again he slowed his run into a walk as he approached the old building. Outside the front entrance was a small fenced-in yard that served as a recess ground for the younger kids, and as Riaku walked through he noticed that many of them had yet to arrive yet. That meant that he had some time before classes would actually start. Avoiding the small groups of children at play, Riaku made his way inside the building, closing the wooden door behind him.

The inside of the building was exactly as you would expect it to be- several rows of wooden desks facing a larger desk placed in front of a slate board. Four windows- two on each wall- allowed generous amounts of golden morning sunlight into the room. Riaku used this light to quickly navigate to his own assigned desk near the back of the room and sat down.

At the moment there were about seven people patiently awaiting classes from inside of the building. A group of pre-teens was over by the teacher's desk talking, while a loner read a book quietly at his desk near the front. As for the last three…

Riaku sighed and looked down from the group of teenagers that chatted a few rows in front of him. The three students in mention were Mikuna Lao, Orman Oji, and Rinko Okita- the majority of his age class. All three of them were already seventeen, and were set to attend the hunter's academy tomorrow. It would seem that the three of them had plenty in common with Riaku, but the truth was that he wasn't looking forward to training with them in the slightest.

It wasn't that he had no interest in making friends, just that he knew when to give up. Years ago Riaku had genuinely tried to fit in with the other kids his age, but the result was never there. Partially it was because of his fear of fire, which the other children quickly picked up on and used to tease him. Additionally, there was the fact that his biological parents were dead. This had once been a pretty popular subject with the school rumor mill, as some creative mind decided that Riaku must have murdered them… further hurting his social standing at school. Not to mention that he was poor, meaning that he could never afford the nice school clothes that the other kids his age wore. Instead he was stuck wearing rabbit hide and tarp, which was great for combatting the cold. But for making a good impression? Not so much.

Riaku sat silently in his desk and stared down at his lap, hoping that the three suddenly silent teens wouldn't notice him. However, just as he began to think that his last day of basic schooling would be a peaceful one, a loud crash sounded from the desk in front of him. Riaku flinched at the sound and quickly looked up to find that Rinko, the self-proclaimed leader of the trio, was staring down at him with his palm flat against the desktop.

Rinko Okita was a handsome boy, standing a good inch or two above Riaku and bearing more visible muscle as well behind his light skin. He had dark chocolate brown eyes that mirrored the color of his hair, which was always spiked up behind a red headband commonly wore by hunters from Pokke. The headband had been a gift from Rinko's father, who was a very successful hunter that had always pushed his son down a similar path.

Standing behind Rinko's right shoulder was Orman Oji, who was currently wearing a mocking sneer at seeing Riaku's reaction. Orman was a short, pudgy boy with the same light skin color as Rinko. He had a thinly shaven head of dark hair that matched his own dark eyes. Despite the fact that Orman bore a very chubby look about him, Riaku knew all too well of the boy's power, as his heavy build also seemed to contribute to his strength. He also wore a headband similar to Rinko's, though this band was dark green instead of red. As far back as Riaku could remember, Orman had happily filled the position of Rinko's crony- wherever Rinko was, Orman was sure to be right behind him wearing that annoying sneer.

"Hey Haidoji," Rinko started with a casual tone to his mature voice, "Been meaning to ask you something."

Riaku sighed. "What do you want Rinko?"

"Well it's about the Hunter's Academy, you see," Rinko replied, removing his hand from Riaku's desk and slowly pacing in a circle around his target. "You're not still going to attend class there tomorrow, are you?"

"Of course I am," Riaku answered, "It's been my plan to go there just as long as it's been yours."

Rinko chuckled and cut a look at Orman, who mirrored the gesture with a condescending laugh.

"What's so funny?" Riaku demanded, tensing in his seat.

"Oh nothing, nothing," Rinko chuffed as he stopped once more in front of Riaku's desk. "I just figured you would have reconsidered by now. After all, our village has lost enough hunters within recent years and I would hate to see another one croak right after his graduation. Besides, it would be a shame if Gaia had to lose another family member to the hunt… I'm not so sure her old heart could take it."

Riaku growled, his fists balling as he glared up at Rinko.

"You shut the hell up about Gaia. You don't even know her!"

"Looks like you struck a chord!" Orman called from behind Rinko, who now wore a dangerous smirk.

"Oh but I do. I know that she's desperate for money, and that's part of the reason why you want to become a hunter."

"That's none of your business," Riaku snapped, "Just get to the point or leave!"

Rinko's smirk wavered for a moment before returning as more of a snarl.

"Fine." He whispered, before leaning in close to Riaku's face. "Don't show up at the Academy tomorrow unless you want to embarrass yourself. There's no room in the Guild for a bastard who's afraid of fire."

"Rinko, that's enough." A feminine voice demanded from the other side of the room. Looking over, Riaku could see that it was Mikuna.

Mikuna Lao was a fair skinned girl who stood about an inch shorter than Riaku. She had long silky black hair that was usually pulled behind her head, save for two bangs allowed to fall on either side of her face. Similar to the other two, a headband rested at her hairline beneath the bangs, this one bright yellow. She had a slender build that hid a lot of strength- so much so that Riaku believed she could hold her own even against Rinko.

Mikuna was the most decent of the three in Riaku's opinion. She was the only one in school who would rein Rinko back when he went too far, though she wouldn't necessarily defend Riaku either. He basically saw their relationship as neutral, neither friend no foe- though he did sincerely appreciate it when she would step in to dissolve conflict between her fellow students.

"Come on Mikuna, I'm only having a heart-to-heart with Riaku here." Rinko replied as he cut a look at her from over his shoulder.

"You're not fooling me." She said with a soft voice cool as the mountain breeze, "And there's no time for this now anyway. Class is about to start."

Riaku hadn't noticed before now, but she was right. The schoolhouse was almost full of children now, including the ones that had been playing outside. Given this fact, it was only a matter of time before their teacher entered and began the day's lesson.

"Very well," Rinko begrudgingly agreed, before turning back to Riaku. "Just remember what I said alright? It would be a shame to see your precious dream go up in flames."

With a cackle from Orman the two turned around and headed toward their seats near Mikuna toward the center of the room. Riaku glared after them in spite of Rinko's last remark, until the door flew open behind him.

"Goooood morning class~!" came a familiarly cheery voice.

"Good morning Ms. B," The class recited with varying levels of excitement.

Riaku turned and watched with the rest of the class as their teacher walked along the wall toward her desk, smiling and waving at them all as she passed. She was a tender woman with a sunny personality, which reflected in her appearance. A floral gown rich with vibrant color fell to her ankles, while a thick head of dirty blonde hair landed about halfway down her back. Her eyes were a vibrant green; a rarity in Pokke, given that most people born here had dark hair and eyes. This led to many rumors that she was actually foreign, coming from somewhere like the Moga coast where it was much more tropical.

Once Ms. B had reached her desk she took a silent headcount of the class before smiling warmly at them.

"Not a single student absent today! Wonderful!"

Without a response from the class she hummed happily as she scribbled something on the parchment laying on her desk. When she was finished with that she stood and addressed them all again.

"Today is a very special day, class. Can anyone tell me why it's such a special day?"

A hand rose somewhere in the front before a small voice answered 'graduation day'.

"Very good!" Ms. B said with a smile, "Today is the day that our older kids graduate, meaning that tomorrow they get to go out into the world on their own! Now, before we start the class I'd like all of my graduates to raise their hands."

Riaku obliged and raised his hand, as did the three familiar teens in front of him.

"Alright class, you know the drill! Let's give them a big round of applause for making it through school- someday that will be _you_ , after all."

As the room filled with the sounds of polite clapping, Riaku let his gaze shift from Rinko's bunch in search of the fifth graduate. It wasn't long before he found her, sitting just a couple of seats from his left.

Grace Ioma. She was a relatively short girl, but that didn't mean that she wasn't in shape. Just like everyone else in their age class, she had muscle packed behind her tiny appearance. She was a soft-spoken girl with fair skin and green eyes that swirled with energy beneath her blonde-hazel hair. She only really talked when spoken to and liked being alone, which made it hard to know much about her. Nobody in the class even knew what she was going to do after she graduated. The only thing Riaku actually knew about her was that she was the oldest student in school, an eighteen year-old.

Riaku stared at her even after the class applause ended and the teacher began her lesson. It wasn't that he was trying to be rude, but he had become lost in his thoughts over this mysterious girl. Unlike the rest of her age group, she had never disclosed what she wanted to be after schooling- the other four had said 'monster hunter' without hesitation.

As he wondered about her his eyes began to wander down to her petite form. Despite the fact that she was short and relatively slender, her breasts were just as full as a girl at average height. Riaku continued to stare at the two mounds poking at her school clothes- which entailed a white blouse and long skirt.

He stayed deep in his thoughts while the teacher talked until his eyes finally rose back to her face- only to find two bright green eyes staring back at him.

Riaku jumped in his seat, his face turning bright red as Grace cocked her eyebrow at him questioningly. Then he quickly turned to face the teacher, sitting properly and trying as hard as he could not to check if the girl was still looking at him.

The rest of the day went as usual, despite the peculiar lesson that the teacher chose. In spirit of the graduates becoming monster hunters she taught about different weapon types and the impact of monster hunters in the economy. Of course she covered blademaster and gunner styles of hunting; one being an up-close-and-personal hunting style dealing with melee weapons, while the other dealt with different types of ranged weapons like bows and bowguns.

After a very lengthy lecture on the economy vs. ecology, complete with charts and graphs scribbled on the board, class ended and Ms. B gave a warm farewell to her graduates.

"I wish you all success and safety in your choices!" She said with a big smile, "And with that, you are all dismissed."

Riaku remained seated until most of the other class had gone- especially Rinko's group. He didn't like the way that Rinko had looked at him when they were talking earlier, and definitely didn't want to risk getting into a fight with him or his tagalong. Once he was certain that they were gone, he stood up and headed toward the door right as Grace brushed past him. She didn't acknowledge him as she passed, but Riaku still felt his face heat up in light of what had happened this morning. He watched her as she opened the door and took a step outside, but was surprised when she hesitated in the doorway. After she had stood there for a moment she turned her head to look back at him.

"Good luck with becoming a monster hunter." She said, her voice soft.

"O-oh, thank you," He stuttered out, surprised that she was actually talking to him given her nature.

She nodded at him then set off into the afternoon sun, letting the door close behind her. Riaku stood there for a moment, once again pondering the girl and her whereabouts before shrugging and heading out as well.

And so he began the familiar run back home, seeing everything how he left it in the morning save for the Pokke farm, where many of the workers that he had seen were now wrapping up for the day. Before long he was standing in front of his home, catching his breath before reaching for the door.

Riaku had just taken his first step inside when suddenly something flew across the room and smacked him in the face. The boy reached up and removed the object to inspect it, finding a pair of tattered gloves with ancient traces of dirt all over them. He looked up to find Gaia standing across the room, her hair now tamed and pulled into its usual braid and her clothes filthy from a hard day of work.

"Hello to you too," Riaku said with a cocked eyebrow at his adoptive mother.

"You're going to the hunter's academy tomorrow right?" She asked, leaning against the wall next to the back door.

"Of course," He answered, "Why?"

"If you're going to be a hunter then you'll need good reflexes. What if those gloves had been a remobra? You'd probably be poisoned by now."

Riaku recalled the flying snakes for a moment. While it was true that remobra were fast and dangerous, they were cold-blooded and therefore lived in much warmer regions.

"Gaia, I don't think that-"

"I don't care about the specifics," She cut him off as she walked over, "What matters to me is your safety. Monster hunters live in a very dangerous world, Riaku, and I just want to make sure that you're able to take care of yourself."

She paused for a moment when she reached his end of the room to pull him into a hug.

"Please understand that I can't help but worry about you." She spoke softly.

He smiled and looked her in the eye. "I know. And that's why I'm going to do everything I can to make sure I make it back home after every hunt."

She studied the confidence in his face for a moment before smiling back.

"Good. Now let's get to work- there are a few dozen turnips with your name on them."

Riaku groaned as Gaia parted from him and started heading toward the back door.

"Yes Ma'am." He said as he slowly followed her, putting the gloves on as he walked. It was going to be a long afternoon, he could already tell.

* * *

Riaku's eyes shot open with the sound of the first songbird's tune outside. Sitting up and rubbing sleep from his eyes, Riaku looked toward his window to see that the first traces of morning sunlight were barely illuminating the distant silhouettes of mountains.

The young man smiled in the darkness of his room as he turned and jumped out of bed. Without hesitation he dropped to the floor and began his morning workout. Push-ups and crunches in the mirror became squats and lunges, then pull-ups using the outcrop of his door frame. He continued his exercise until the sun had completely departed from the horizon and lit up his room, then he stopped and inspected himself in the mirror.

Sweat rolled down his bare chest as he caught his breath, the traces of condensation rolling over his abs. Riaku would be the first to admit that he wasn't the most muscular person in town, as his build was naturally lean, but even then he had a fairly toned muscular profile as a result of his years of self-training.

After he had caught his breath the boy nodded at his reflection and turned to his dresser. Once he had changed into his usual outfit he made his way out of his room and down the stairs. To his slight surprise Gaia was already at work in the kitchen, rustling through the pantry quietly.

"You're up early," He said aloud as he reached the foot of the stairs. Gaia turned to him with a small smile.

"I didn't get much sleep last night," she admitted as she returned to what she was doing. "A friend in town told me yesterday that the academy has a sink-or-swim policy regarding new hunters. Apparently they like to just throw them into an arena with a monster and see how they do."

Riaku hummed as he pondered that possibility. While it was true that he had heard stories from kids at school about monster hunters in-training having to face beasts nearly right away, he never knew if there was any truth to the claims.

"I guess I'll finally see if that's true today." He answered nonchalantly.

"But what if it's a wyvern?" She asked as she pulled a sack from the pantry and inspected its contents. "Or worse, what if it breathes fire? Will you be ok?"

She pulled something round from the bag and tossed it to him. Riaku caught it and turned it in his hand. It was an apple, slightly old but not rotting yet.

"That's a part of why I'm doing this, remember?" He asked as he rubbed his sleeve on the fruit then took a bite. "If I don't face my fear now then when will I ever get over it?"

Gaia sighed. "I guess that's true," She looked him up and down before smiling to herself. "Look at how much you've grown. Such a strong and handsome young man."

Riaku chuckled and rubbed the back of his head sheepishly.

"I owe who I am today to _you_ , Gaia. And that's why I'm going to do my best today to make you proud."

"Oh sweetheart, I just know that you're going to do a great job." She answered as she crossed over and pulled him into a tight hug, "And no matter what happens I'm going to be proud of you. Just do what you feel is right and don't leave any room for regret."

He nodded and hugged her back, the two holding each other as sunlight slowly began to fill the room. After a few moments Gaia stirred and turned to look up at her adopted son.

"Alright, I think I'm ready now." She said with eyes that were a little wetter than usual.

He gave her a smile as the two parted. "Hey, that's _my_ line."

Gaia chuckled to herself and gave Riaku a pat on his arm.

"Alright, you'd better get going. I'll be waiting here when you get back."

He nodded and turned for the door, but only made it a few paces when she stopped him.

"Oh, and Riaku?"

He paused and turned to find Gaia pulling a small box from behind her back and tossing it to him. He caught and inspected it in his hands before giving her a questioning look.

"You didn't think I would forget your birthday, did you?" She asked with a cocked eyebrow. "That's your gift from me."

"You didn't have to do this," He said with a worried tone in his voice. "It's not expensive is it? Because I won't let you-"

"Ah, just shush and open it!" She said with a shake of her head.

Riaku gave her an apprehensive look before slowly turning the box in his hands and opening it. Gaia smiled to herself when Riaku couldn't help but gasp in surprise.

"What do you think?" Gaia asked.

Riaku remained silent as he reached inside and slowly pulled the contents out. Inside was a blue ribbon with Pokke's seal on it- the type of ribbon that hunters from the settlement wore to distinguish themselves from others. The material that made up the ribbon was soft and bright, the color nearly matching his own eyes.

"This is awesome Gaia," He said as he stared at the ribbon that he held in front of him.

"I thought you might like it." She said while crossing her arms. "Now hurry and try it on!"

Riaku nodded and started to raise the ribbon, but paused before it could touch his forehead.

"What's the matter?" Gaia asked.

"I can't put this on just yet." Riaku said as he lowered the ribbon and carefully began folding it back into the box. "So can you hold onto this for me?"

"Sure I can, but why can't you wear it yet? I don't understand." Gaia admitted as she caught the box that Riaku had tossed back to her.

"It's just that… That ribbon is for monster hunters to wear- and I'm not one of those yet," He started, turning and looking out at the early morning sun through the window. "I want to earn my title as a monster hunter. I want to _earn_ that ribbon." He turned to look back at Gaia, giving her a sheepish look. "Maybe that doesn't make sense… But can you please hold onto it just a little longer?"

Gaia gave a sad smile and nodded.

"Of course sweetheart. It's safe with me."

"Thanks Gaia, it means a lot." He replied as he turned back toward the door. "Well I'm gonna get going. The sooner I get to work the sooner I get that ribbon!"

"Alright, have fun!" She said with a wave. "Be safe and enjoy your seventeenth birthday!"

"I will! See you tonight!" Riaku called back to her as he had already passed the door and was now sprinting off toward the town square.

Gaia watched him until he turned out of her sight, then she looked down at the tiny box that he had entrusted her with. A part of her was disappointed that he hadn't accepted it right away, but the other part was filled with pride. Most kids would have taken the gift on their way out, but not her Riaku. He was as modest as he was determined, which both impressed and scared her at times.

Either way, she knew one thing for sure; no matter where the day would take him, Riaku would do anything necessary to prove that he deserved that ribbon.

Meanwhile, Riaku was running through the streets of Pokke faster than he ever had. Today was finally the day that everything changed- the day that he proved once and for all that he could cut it as a hunter.

When he reached the bustling town square, Riaku slowed to a walk and took in the feelings of excitement and anticipation that gripped him. Step by step he was getting closer to the looming gathering hall. Of course he knew that he wasn't Guild-bound just yet, but regardless he wanted to get close to it. He stopped in front of the building's great doors and stared up at it, his sense of adventure spiking as a hunting horn sounded from somewhere nearby.

For a moment he recalled his dream- that early memory of pain and death that had marked him for life.

 _If I can do anything to keep that from happening again, then I will._ He thought to himself as his fists clenched with determination. _I'll never let a monster take that much from someone. No way in Hell._

"Hey, is your name Riaku?" A strong voice from nearby called, shaking the teen from his thoughts. Looking over, Riaku could see a man standing in front of the Hunter's Academy entrance dressed in blood red armor fashioned in a way similar to a samurai set, but was lighter and more suited for the man's muscular build.

"Uh, yeah that's me." Riaku answered.

"Good, you're right on time." The man replied, waving toward the academy. "Come, class is about to start."

"Alright, I'm coming." Riaku called as the man turned back toward the building, but shot one last glance at the gathering hall before turning and heading toward the academy.

From his short walk to the academy classroom Riaku could see the rest of the site as well. Along the side of the building was a line of targets and fighting dummies, as well as an open shed full of carts and battle supplies. A little further down was a dug out arena with posts surrounding it to prevent anyone from falling in. From the arena he could hear a mixture of growls and snarls, further supporting the possibility of an actual monster hunt taking place today.

Riaku followed the man inside the small class building and found that Rinko, Orman, and Mikuna were already standing in a line facing the front of the room where a podium stood beside a table lined with several different kinds of weapons.

"Look who finally made it," Rinko sneered as Riaku entered, "We were beginning to think that your nerves had gotten to you, Haidoji."

"As if." Riaku replied with a glare as he joined the line.

"Alright, that's enough." The instructor demanded as he walked over to his podium. "Let's get class started. We've got a lot to cover."

The line of teens fell silent and politely watched the instructor. He was a man who appeared to be in his early thirties, and bore proof of many hunts on the skin that wasn't covered by his light armor. The most notable example of this was on his left cheek. The helmet he wore only covered the top and sides of his head, exposing the large pink scar that ran from his chin to just past his ear. He had light brown eyes beneath the dirty-blonde hair that was also mostly concealed by his helmet.

"First off, I have high hopes for you lot." The instructor said as he looked over the kids standing in front of him. "So high, in fact, that I've arranged a little treat for you all. After our initial lessons are done today, you will each slay a monster in the arena out back."

Riaku, like the other two boys, couldn't help but widen his eyes in surprise.

"So it's true, then." Mikuna, the only one who didn't seem phased, stated with a cool voice. "What monster will we be slaying?"

"Well miss Lao, after I've gone over the basics and you've each picked your weapon of choice, you will be pitted against a few relatively easy large monsters that came courtesy of the guild."

"But what species are they?" Rinko asked.

The instructor smirked. "Today, class, you will be slaying a Yian Kut-Ku."

Riaku tensed- he recognized that name. Kut-Ku were bird wyverns with large beaks and ears adapted to life in dense tropical jungles. They were relatively small and skinny compared to most other wyverns, but size wasn't what was concerning Riaku.

What _was_ bothering him was the fact that Kut-Ku were notorious for spitting balls of fire at their prey.

"Um, sir?" Orman spoke up, "Are you sure that we shouldn't start with small monsters first?"

"Oh, absolutely." The instructor said as he leaned against his podium comfortably. "But you'll be glad to know that a great reward awaits those who succeed. Everyone who succeeds in killing the Kut-Ku will be paired with the others and sent on an actual quest at the end of the day."

"An actual quest? Really?" Rinko spoke with interest in his voice, "Count me in."

"Y-yeah, me too!" Orman agreed.

"Sir, what about if we fail in slaying the Kut-Ku?" Mikuna asked with a raised hand.

"Great question," The instructor answered, pausing and leaning in to add emphasis.

"Those of you who fail… will be expelled from the academy at once."

Gasps from the four students filled the room, causing the instructor to smile contently.

"That's right. Say goodbye to the pot- you're all in the fire now."


	3. Trials

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The class of hopeful hunters are trained for battle before being pitted against their first challenge. The time has come to prove who is worthy of becoming a monster hunter and who isn't.

Silence filled the room in wake of the instructor's last sentence. In an instant the atmosphere had changed from excited to tense- especially for Riaku. The teen gulped as he imagined a wyvern's maw spewing fire at him from a closed-in space. Knowingly going into that situation was the last thing that he wanted to do, but he had no choice. The instructor said that any student who failed in slaying a Kut-Ku would be immediately expelled from the academy, which meant that they could never become a hunter as long as they stayed in Pokke. Of course he could always go to some other village to try his hunter's training again, but there was no way that he would ever leave Gaia. Besides, everyone that he wanted to prove himself to lived in Pokke, and he wouldn't rest until he had shown them all his true worth.

"Now then, before we get started with the lesson a few introductions are in order…" The instructor began as he turned toward the door, "We have two guests to help with today's activities. The first is my personal assistant, and the second is a special guest."

He waved at the door, and soon after two people walked into the room and stood beside the instructor. Once more, surprise filled the room at seeing who these 'special guests' were.

"G-Grace?" Orman blurted out from the line, speaking exactly what everyone else was thinking. There was no mistaking the short, hazel-haired girl standing before them; it was none other than the quiet classmate that had never disclosed her post-schooling plans.

"Grandmother?" Mikuna asked, referring to the short old lady standing next to Grace. The woman in question was none other than elder Maria- Pokke's oldest resident and decided leader. Riaku had almost forgotten that Mikuna was related to their town elder, as time had removed any semblance between the two. While Mikuna was a beautiful girl with a fit form, jet-black hair and flawlessly fair skin, her grandmother was very short, with hair white as snow worn in a braided bun behind her head. Not to mention the countless wrinkles that covered her face, reminding all who saw her that she had been a resident of Pokke longer than anyone could remember.

Despite her ancient appearance, however, elder Maria was always a kind and energetic soul, which showed in the smile that she usually wore as well as the light that danced in her eyes behind a pair of spectacles. Also accentuating her bright personality was the colorful robe that she wore down to her feet.

Elder Maria smiled at Mikuna before passing the look along to the other three students.

"Now then, I couldn't possibly miss the initiation of Pokke's newest hunters, could I?" She asked with a kind but frail voice. "Especially not when my own granddaughter is present."

She let out a small laugh, though Mikuna remained quiet from her place in line. The elder then turned back to the instructor and nodded.

"Please continue, Koh."

The instructor's eyes widened ever so slightly at the mention of his name, giving the impression that he wasn't used to being addressed in that manner. Elder Maria, however, knew the name of everyone in Pokke and rarely called them by anything else. Seeing as that was the case, instructor Koh cleared his throat then turned back to the line of students before him.

"Before we begin with the day's activities, we must first cover a few basics. To begin, hunters have two very important types of equipment that they carry with them: armor and weapons. While there are many types of each, you will each begin your career with the basics; for armor, you will be provided the Mafumofu set. It is a sturdy, coat-like armor set made from fur and leather. It will provide substantial protection from the cold and absorb moderate damage- just watch out for fire attacks."

"Sir," Makuna said with a raised hand, "If this set is weak to fire, then why would you have us face a Kut-Ku in it?"

The instructor once more leaned against his podium casually.

"To give you incentive to dodge." He replied simply. "Hunting monsters is about much more than just attacking… you'll need to know how to observe your opponent's movement patterns and avoid them. Pitting you against a fire wyvern without resistance is a tried-and-true way to teach the importance of being evasive."

His eyes passed over the line in front of him twice before he continued.

"Now if there are no more questions, I'd like to move on to weaponry. Your weapon is your best friend when you're out on a hunt. Take care of it and it will take care of you. There are two different classes of weapons, each vastly different from the other. Can anyone tell me what the two classes are?"

"I know." Rinko answered, "Blademaster and Gunner, right?"

"That is correct." The instructor answered with a nod. "But what's the difference?"

"Blademaster refers to melee weapons, like swords and hammers, while the Gunner class outlines ranged weapons like bows." Rinko said, eyeing the weapons on the table next to the podium.

"Again, correct. I would expect no less from you, given who your father is." Koh said with a smirk, before gesturing at the table as well. "Beside me there is one of every type of weapon recognized by the Guild. Each is a basic model, made of steel or bone without any elemental attributes. Now you will each step forward and pick one; but be wise in your decision, as the Guild will not be providing any further equipment to you. From here it's all from your own pocket."

Each student in the line nodded and stepped forward to the table, inspecting the weapons before them. Rinko was the first to choose, instantly grabbing a long, slender blade sheathed in a leather holding. Holding it in front of him, he slowly pulled the blade from its place, revealing the thinly crafted steel that stretched out several feet from its handle.

"Nice…" Rinko whispered with a grin as he ran his finger along the dull side of the blade.

"I had you pegged as a Blademaster, but the long sword is an interesting choice." Came a soft voice.

Everyone looked up to see Grace standing on the opposite side of the table, her hands held behind her back as she watched them make their choices. A moment of awkward silence followed, as Grace rarely talked to any of them in school, before Rinko answered.

"It's what my father uses, so I have a pretty good understanding on how to use long swords." He replied as he stepped back from the table and re-sheathed the sword.

"A great choice for keeping moderate difference between you and a target, while not sacrificing cutting power." Grace said, her eyes returning to the weapons on the table. "However, it takes a lot of time and patience to master the movements that accompany successful use of the sword. With that said, it's probably a good thing that you're already familiar with it."

There was another momentary silence from the group- though this time out of awe. Despite each of them aspiring to become monster hunters in school, they never realized that their quiet classmate was so knowledgeable on weapon use.

"Surprised?" Instructor Koh asked the group with crossed arms. "Grace has been my assistant for a few years now. She's always held a great appreciation for weapons and their use against monsters, so I allowed her to become my assistant despite being so young. Now she knows just about as much as I do- and I highly recommend heeding her advice when it comes to choosing your own arms."

"I didn't even know that she talked…" Orman said under his breath, staring at the hazel-haired girl with an impressed look.

"Orman, you should focus on picking your weapon." Mikuna said sternly as she carefully observed a set of blades in front of her.

"O-oh, right, right." Orman answered, his face turning red as he quickly returned to the task at hand.

Riaku also directed his attention back to the table, looking over his options. There were so many to choose from… Of course he had dreamt about this moment for years, but in the moment it was much harder to decide.

_Perhaps a bow… Or a lance! No, I need something that will let me attack consecutively if I get cornered. Maybe the dual blades..?_

Just as he looked over to consider the twin pair of shining shortswords, a pair of slender white hands reached down and pulled them from the table.

"I've made my choice." Mikuna said calmly as she held the two curved swords in front of her.

"Wonderful decision," Elder Maria said from beside Koh, nodding her head approvingly. "Back when I was a little girl, I chose the dual blades as well. Wield them with confidence and let the mountain's breeze direct your movements. Do these things, and those swords will serve you well."

Mikuna nodded. "Thank you grandmother, I'll do my best."

"The dual blades are arguably the most elegant of the weapons, their small size allowing the wielder to dance around their target." Grace explained as Mikuna returned to her place next to Rinko in line. "Contrastingly, they are also the most unrelenting. Correct use can result in countless strikes per moment, shredding flesh in a blur of movement. They suit you well."

"Thank you Grace." Mikuna said with a small bow.

Riaku mentally cursed as he turned back to the table. _I have to make my choice before Orman does… I can't be the last one to decide!_

"Got it!" Orman shouted out, heaving a large, blunt weapon from the table.

_Well, crap. So much for not being last_. Riaku thought with a sigh.

"The hammer is perfect for you, Orman." Grace said approvingly. "It requires great strength and a strong base to control the weight on the end of the handle. One mighty swing may be all it takes to stun a monster and turn the tables in a fight… Though it's important not to lose your own balance while swinging it."

"Thank you." Orman said with a sheepish chuckle, his face turning pink. Then he heaved the bone handle upward, allowing the large steel mallet at the top to rest against his shoulder as he turned toward his spot in line.

"That leaves just one left," Instructor Koh said in a bored tone. "What will it be, Riaku?"

"I'm… not sure…" Riaku said in dismay as he frantically looked from one piece of equipment to the next. They all had their own set of advantages, making each equally tempting.

_Great sword? No, too heavy… Switchaxe? Too in-depth… Insect Glaive? Don't like bugs… Which one do I choose..?_

"May I make a suggestion?" Grace asked from across the table, a shy smile on her face. Without waiting for an answer she nodded toward a weapon placed directly in the middle of the table. Riaku followed the gesture until his eyes rested upon a sheathed sword of about medium length placed beside a rounded shield. His eyes widened- a sword and shield was perfect! It would allow him to attack quickly, while also covering him defensively.

"I'll go with this, then." He said with certainty as he reached over and lifted the weapon to inspect it. The shield was heavy in his left hand, as it was completely forged of steel save for the leather on the handle. The sword, on the other hand, was relatively light- the perfect size and shape for slashing out. He let his blue eyes roam up and down the silvery blade, from the broader base against the handle guard to the thinner and sharper tip.

"The sword and shield is a great choice all-around, offering offensive slicing power paired with defensive coverage from the shield." Grace began as Riaku returned to his spot in line, still admiring the weapon in his hands. "Effective use will allow you to lash out at your target with the sword, then withdraw behind the shield when they strike back. From there you can even bash back with the shield, giving an opportunity to stun your opponent."

"I'll remember that." Riaku said with a smile, "Thank you."

"Now then," Koh began once they had each settled in line, "I say we get started right away. Let's get you suited up and practicing on the training dummies outside."

"Yes, sir." All four said in unison, excitement and confidence in their voices.

* * *

"That's enough class. You've each demonstrated a proficient understanding of your weapons." The instructor said from behind his four students. "You may rest."

Orman met this news with relief, letting his hammer fall to the ground with a crash as he doubled over to catch his breath. Riaku couldn't blame him though- everyone who had participated appeared to be winded in some way, from the sweat that had formed on Rinko's brow to the silent labor in Mikuna's breathing. As for Riaku, he was somewhere between the other three, panting as he wiped the sweat from his face.

It had been an hour or so since Riaku's class had picked their weapons and headed outside to practice against the training dummies. Each of them had first been equipped with the aforementioned armor, a sturdy coat that provided comfortable relief from the mountain's chill. At first the warmth of the tan-coated armor had been comforting, but after spending so much time exercising beneath the midday sun, the teenagers had quickly grown tired.

Throughout the exercises Grace moved from student to student, giving advice on their movements and occasionally illustrating proper use of their weapons. She had even partnered up with Riaku so that he could practice his shield bashing technique- a repetitious lesson that quickly exhausted him.

Instructor Koh wasn't as active in the activity, however; he tended to remain behind them as they worked, pacing around and occasionally pointing out flaws in their form. Meanwhile elder Maria happily watched them work while encouraging each of them.

"Remember, you work hard now and you'll reap the benefits later!" She would repeat with a kind smile.

Every now and then Riaku had peeked over at the others to see how they were doing. As to be expected, Rinko took to the sword quickly and made short work of the straw dummy in front of him. The accuracy of his movements led Riaku to believe that some of his father's knowledge had been passed to him, and effectively at that. Rinko lunged, parried, and backstepped in impressive form, occasionally performing more advanced moves such as overhead slashes and uppercuts.

As impressive as Rinko's display was, it couldn't compare to what Mikuna could do. It seemed as though she had taken her grandmother's advice to heart, elegantly spinning and twirling with ease while her curved blades lashed against the dummy in a constant, vicious blur. Her blade's dance was as beautiful as it was deadly, her silky black hair whipping about like ribbons as her slender form spun and two-stepped in coordination with her attack.

Last was Orman, who was by no means quick or showmanistic in his movements. However, the great strength that his hammer produced meant that he didn't need to be either of these things. The ground shook each time he struck the sturdy dummy before him, and with each swing he let out a growl of physical exertion. Looking at the hammer now, Riaku wasn't so sure that he could lift the mallet, let alone swing it at a target for an extended period of time. That thought only proved how strong Orman really was, despite his chubby appearance.

"Once you've each recovered, you will take turns facing the Kut-Ku in the pit over there." Koh said as he nodded toward the makeshift arena, which had continually growled and rustled as the teens went through their training. "The wyverns are young, but that doesn't mean that they can't pack a punch. Watch your backs and remember what Grace and I have been telling you."

Mikuna raised her hand, seeming to have regained her breath.

"Sir, how will we decide which of us goes first?"

The instructor nodded toward Orman, who was now laying sprawled on the ground.

"First come, first serve. Orman was first to arrive this morning, so he'll be the first to show us what he's got. Then it will be Rinko's turn, then yours, and finally Riaku."

"You feeling up for it, buddy?" Rinko asked with a cocked eyebrow at his fatigued friend. In response Orman groaned and slowly raised a thumbs-up gesture in the affirmative.

_So I'll be last, huh?_ Riaku thought to himself as he observed the other three. _That's good, maybe I'll learn its movements by watching them fight it. That way I can know when they like to spit fire and figure out how to avoid it._

It was only a short wait before Orman had recovered and decided that he was ready to begin. Koh gathered elder Maria and Grace before leading the students over to what he called 'the pit', advising them not to lean over the posts unless they wanted to end up wyvern chow.

"Remember," Koh began as he took his position next to a series of levers, "Dodge the fire and wait for an opening. Don't let it corner you and don't show mercy. These monsters would just as soon kill you as look at you, and you should treat them as such. You ready Orman?"

Orman nodded from the left side of the pit, his hammer slung over his shoulder as he looked down with uncertainty. Taking a breath, he slid down the wall until he reached the dirt bottom and readied his stance. Riaku watched on from the right side of the pit, while Rinko and Makuna watched from the opposite. Elder Maria and Grace were positioned on either side of the instructor, who stood on a small platform lined with multiple wooden levers- presumably to open the many steel gates that lined the bottom walls of the pit. It wasn't a terribly deep arena- only about ten feet, designed so that the onlookers could quickly slide in if a problem were to arise. Regardless, the pit was intimidating to look at, and appeared claustrophobic to Riaku as he accounted for sharing space with a wyvern.

Time slowed for a moment and everyone watched in silence, the atmosphere tense as nobody knew what to expect. Then, without warning, the entire situation changed.

"Begin!"

Koh pulled one of the center levers with a grunt, causing one of the gates below to slide open. As soon as the metal barrier had opened, a red blur erupted from its cage and into the arena. Orman's eyes widened as the creature slowed to a stop in the center of the pit- it was a real live fire wyvern.

The Kut-Ku froze in the center for a moment, letting its blue eyes adjust to the difference in light. From this momentary hesitation it was easy to observe the creature before the fight would once more blur its appearance.

The Kut-Ku was an interesting monster to say the least. It stood roughly seven feet tall atop skinny legs that merged into a slim body. It was completely covered in bright red scales, save for the blue webbing that made up the underside of its wings. Talons sprung from its wingtips as well as its feet, and a sliver of a spike protruded from the tip of its long tail. In most ways it resembled the wyvern equivalent of a chicken- albeit a thin one. The only part of it that greatly differed from a bird was its head, which was as unusual as it was deadly. An incredibly large beak comprised most of its face. The beak was a light tan color, and was rounded rather than sharp; a trait that allowed the Kut-Ku to scoop insects from the dirt and fruit from the trees. Behind the beak were a pair of sunken eyes, which scanned the arena slowly from under a pair of dish-like ears that fanned together from the back of the creature's head.

For the most part the Kut-Ku looked more goofy than anything. Its huge beak and giant ears shared no proportion to its relatively scrawny body. However, it also had the traits of a potential killer: sharp serrations in the lining of its beak, spikes jutting from its wings and tail, and of course the deadly flame sack within its throat. Orman must have realized these things as well, as he froze at the sight of his opponent.

The Kut-Ku soon snapped out of its moment of acclimation and began looking around the arena, its slender neck turning this way and that while its ears acted as a radar.

"Go get em Orman!" Rinko shouted from across the pit with a firm voice. "Show it who's boss!"

The Kut-Ku paused, turning to look up at Rinko with its ears perked. In an instant Orman saw his opening and narrowed his eyes.

"Here I go!" Orman called out as he lowered his hammer and charged forward. Riaku was amazed at how quickly Orman could move given his size and the weight of the hammer, and watched closely as the distance between his fellow student and the monster was rapidly cut.

As to be expected, the Kut-Ku heard Orman coming and quickly turned back to him, but wasn't quick enough to avoid the first blow. On his way toward his target Orman had raised his hammer over his shoulder like a baseball bat, and swung just in time to land a solid hit against the left side of the monster's face.

Immediately the Kut-Ku reacted to the attack, spreading its wings out and flapping them to propel itself backward. As it landed several feet away from Orman, it also let out an ear-splitting shriek.

Riaku instinctively covered his ears to defend against the roar. However, he didn't take his eyes off the battle.

_It hasn't spit fire yet… That's a good sign, right?_ He thought as he took notes on the way the Kut-Ku was currently sizing Orman up, its head low and wings spread out.

"Study its movements!" Koh shouted into the pit, "Don't let it catch you off guard!"

"Right," Orman said with a nod, keeping steady eye contact with his target.

Once more the temporary peace in the ring was shattered, as the Kut-Ku charged forward with a gaping beak and spread wings. Orman stood his ground as the looming creature approached, glaring at his attacker without budging. By the time that the Kut-Ku had reached him, it seemed as though he would be run over- however, a last-second roll to the left rendered Orman without a scratch.

The Kut-Ku, having missed its mark, lost its balance and crashed to the ground as a result of its great momentum. Orman saw this as an opening and pivoted from his roll, turning toward the grounded wyvern while readying the hammer for another strike. A few lunges placed him in the perfect position to attack, though he hesitated only momentarily as the creature turned toward him. Only when the Kut-Ku's head was directly in front of him did Orman swing out with a grunt, the brunt of his hammer rocking against the monster's large beak.

As a result of the great impact, the Kut-Ku stepped back and began to sway from side to side, shaking its head as if to clear its mind. Simultaneously its large ears flattened against the back of its head, replacing the alert appearance of the beast with a more helpless image.

"It's stunned Orman!" The instructor called out, "Finish it up!"

Orman nodded with conviction, using both hands to hold the hammer out to his right. He then swung it back forward, the mallet connecting with the Kut-Ku's skinny legs and sending it falling onto its side. No further instruction was required from there, as Orman swiftly positioned himself above the head of his struggling target and lifted his hammer high over his head. One incredible downswing put an end to the match, signified by a ground-shaking impact against the beast's head.

The dust cleared to reveal the lifeless form of the previously energetic wyvern.

"That concludes the trial!" Koh said with a clap. "Orman, you are victorious!"

Immediately the ring was filled with the sound of applause, as everyone congratulated the victor on his triumph. The clapping seemed to snap Orman out of the fight, his serious glare quickly transforming into a sheepish grin as he rubbed the back of his head.

"I guess this makes me a hunter now," He chuckled as Koh offered him a hand out of the pit. As to be expected, Rinko and Mikuna gathered around him jovially, Rinko giving him a hearty pat on the back while Mikuna nodded with a small smile.

"Now then, onto the next match." Koh said with a nod toward Rinko.

Rinko nodded back before sliding down the wall and planting his feet toward the next gate. Reaching over his left shoulder he unsheathed his sword and held it out in front of him in a classic two-handed stance.

"Begin!"

Just as before, the gate opened before a red blur rocketed forward. However, instead of waiting for the Kut-Ku to get its bearings like Orman had, Rinko charged forward with his sword at the ready. His footsteps were even and deliberate as he approached the creature, not wavering even as the Kut-Ku turned toward him with an aggressive growl.

A quick sideswipe against the wyvern's neck began the hectic exchange in attacks between the two. The Kut-Ku would charge and Rinko would sidestep. The Kut-Ku would whip its tail and Rinko would roll beneath it. Every opening for attack was seized, the shining sword gradually becoming more and more bloody with each slash.

Finally, though, a misstep on the Kut-Ku's part exposed its jugular to Rinko's blade. His response was a fluid overhead slash, swinging the sword in a full circle before its edge completely severed the tender skin that covered the beast's throat. The response was immediate, the Kut-Ku stumbling for a moment before falling hard on its side and becoming still. Once again the instructor proclaimed the hunter's victory, which was followed by clapping from all around the ring. In response Rinko flicked the sword off to his side, sending a spray of crimson blood from the blade's edge to the ground and staining the dirt dark.

"Let's keep it going," Koh said once Rinko had returned to his group above the pit. "Mikuna, you're up."

Mikuna nodded, leaping to the center of the arena and landing in a roll. Both blades were pulled from their sheaths as she straightened, now facing the next gate with a set expression. Her eyebrows were furrowed ever so slightly as her eyes stayed trained in front of her.

"Remember what I told you, Mikuna." Elder Maria said as she stepped forward for a better view.

Mikuna nodded before hunching and holding her dual blades apart in a striking stance.

"I'm ready." She said firmly.

"Begin!"

Similar to Rinko, Mikuna ran to meet the Kut-Ku as soon as it emerged from its cage. However, her steps were silent and fleet as she approached her target, allowing her to go undetected until the very last moment. By the time that the Kut-Ku had noticed her presence, she was already directly in front of it. Without pausing she leaped forward, spinning as she extended her blades outward. The result was a barrage of fine slashes against the beast's face and neck as she spun into her landing, which quickly became a roll between the monster's legs. Without allowing time for recovery she began to circle her prey, her movements quick as she looked for another opening to strike.

The Kut-Ku flinched against the lightning-fast attack that it had received, though only for a moment. Once it had recovered it trained its eyes on Mikuna, hopping and turning in place to follow her as she ran. This continued until she suddenly turned and sprinted headlong at the Kut-Ku, dual blades at the ready. The wyvern tried in vain to turn and whip its tail out at its attacker, but Mikuna was able to dodge by rolling beneath it then popping back up in time to unleash more slashes upon her target. Once that window for attack had expired, she once again turned and began running away in order to create safe distance.

It seemed like a flawless strategy for someone wielding dual blades- rapidly attack whenever there is an opening, then run and wait for your next chance to strike. There was only one flaw; ranged attacks. Anything that could hit her from a distance would be a problem, disrupting her mobility and cutting off some of her potential routes of attack.

Up until now that hadn't been a problem, but that was about to change.

While Mikuna ran to a comfortable distance for circling, the Kut-Ku began to prepare for a new attack- one that hadn't been seen yet that day. Lowering its head toward Mikuna's back, the Kut-Ku heaved its wings back, before throwing its mouth open and releasing a large ball of fire in her direction.

A few of the spectators gasped.

Riaku froze.

As the ball of concentrated fire launched after its target, Riaku couldn't help but stare in shock at the attack. The red mass of crackle sped along a foot above the ground, fuming with heat and malice. It wasn't a large attack, but it was enough to flood his thoughts with fear and pain. He no longer saw the arena before him- instead he saw burning corpses and collapsing buildings. He saw the face of his dead mother, as well as the evil maw of the creature who had decimated his entire village. The entire nightmare flashed before his eyes as quickly as the fire gained on Mikuna. All at once he felt the blood rush from his face.

_Can I really do this..?_

"Watch out!" Orman screamed from across the pit, snapping Riaku from his thoughts just in time to see the result of the attack.

Mikuna cut a look over her shoulder right as the fireball reached her and evaded it with a spinning jump, her form twirling around the flame as it passed. The fireball traveled until it hit the wall of the arena, where it exploded into cinders. The force of the explosion was enough to blow her hair around, but otherwise the girl looked completely unfazed by what had happened.

Riaku, on the other hand, stared at the smoking dent that had been left in the wall and felt his stomach rise into his throat. He couldn't help but tremble as the remnants of his worst fear ate at him. He was so transfixed by his fear that he didn't notice Mikuna charge at the Kut-Ku and deliver the killing blow against its throat and chest. Even as the ring began to celebrate her victory, he just stared at the wall, remembering…

"Riaku… Riaku!" Came Koh's voice, once more pulling him into reality.

"H-huh?" Riaku asked as he noticed everyone else's eyes now fixed on him.

"You're up, let's go!" The instructor demanded, reaching over for the next lever.

"Right…"

Looking down, the arena suddenly seemed much more deep. It didn't help that his anxiety had begun to blur his vision, while his heartbeat rang in his ears like a gong with each pump. Taking a deep breath to calm himself, Riaku slid down the side of the arena and started walking toward the center ground. His legs shook as he walked, and he could feel the eyes of each individual spectator judging him as he faced the next gate. It was large, and the area behind the steel door was pitch black and full of scratching sounds.

It was intimidating, to say the least, but Riaku knew he had to do this. For Gaia, for his parents. And yes, even for himself.

Closing his eyes and taking another deep breath, Riaku cleared his head of anything but the gate in front of him. This was the first step toward becoming a monster hunter… a chance to prove himself to his village. He wouldn't let himself fail.

Riaku slowly opened his eyes and unsheathed his sword, tilting it toward the ground in front of him. In his other hand he gripped the leather handle of his shield with sweaty palms. This was it.

"I'm ready." He heard himself say, his voice sounding sure and confident.

"Very well, then." Came the answer from somewhere above him, "Begin!"


	4. Tribulations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's Riaku's turn to be tested, though his pyrophobia carries with it an additional challenge. Can he overcome his fear of fire? Perhaps he will be forced to find another way to succeed...

At once the gate in front of Riaku opened with a rattle, releasing the beast that was held inside. By this point it was no surprise when the wyvern paused a few strides into the pit, looking around slowly to gain its bearings.

Riaku tensed as he sized up the monster in front of him- it looked much larger on even footing than it had from above. As the Kut-Ku turned its head to scan the ring, Riaku took note of its giant beak and swaying tail. Close combat would be a challenge against this monster, but there had to be a way he could break through to do some damage.

_Let's see… I don't have Mikuna's speed, so I can't circle it. I also don't have Orman's power, so charging headfirst wouldn't do much good. My sword also has a much shorter reach than Rinko's…_

He pondered his options as he faced his opponent, which had yet to take notice of him. Then he realized something- he possessed one asset that the other three didn't.

"My shield…" Riaku thought aloud as readied his battle stance. "That's right, I don't need to keep my distance as long as I have something to block with."

He could picture a strategy already; he would attack from the monster's side, then retreat behind the shield when the Kut-Ku struck back. From there he might even be able to shield bash an opening to strike again. The young hunter nodded as if to agree with his own plan before he made his move.

Riaku took a deep breath before charging forward, his shield held at his side while the other hand tightly gripped the handle of his sword. He had only made a few strides forward before the bird wyvern noticed his presence and turned to face him. Luckily the beast didn't attack straight away, but instead paused as if to assess the situation. This opened a comfortable window of attack for Riaku, who instinctively pivoted once he was within sword's reach of the beast. With a quick spin he extended his sword arm, using the momentum from his movements to drive the blade toward its target.

The action was quick and precise, to such a point that even Riaku's eyes widened in surprise when the blade connected. A thin splash of dark blood erupted from where the sword's edge had pierced the side of the Kut-Ku's neck, the thin blade slicing through scales and muscle with ease until it met bone. Shocks ran up Riaku's arm as the sword bounced back from the hit, dislodging the blade at the same moment that Riaku recoiled in surprise. The other three had made fighting look easy, but Riaku was still sore from their earlier training- a fact that was now stressed by the renewed pain in his sword arm.

The Kut-Ku met the slash with a flinch, crying out loudly while shaking its large head.

"Damn good hit!" Instructor Koh yelled from above, shaking the fatigued hunter from his thoughts. "Don't let it recover, Riaku- go for another attack!"

"Right!" Riaku said as he readied his stance once more. He couldn't help but notice that his muscles, fueled by adrenalin and determination, moved as if on their own. Every opening that he saw was met with an attack that he had practiced during training earlier. Blood shot past him in wake of every slash, a crimson reminder of the sword's frightening sharpness.

Suddenly the Kut-Ku lowered its wingtips as it glared at Riaku, its left talon planting into the dirt while its right spread outward. Riaku recognized the stance and quickly extended his shield, bracing behind it with the sword readied at his side. As if on cue something large whipped against the steel barrier, pushing Riaku back a step as the Kut-Ku's barbed tail reflected off the defensive weapon. As soon as the tail had swung past him, Riaku burst forward from behind the shield, lashing out with his sword with a firm glare on his face. Several times the blade would bounce off of the Kut-Ku's boney frame, but Riaku slashed on regardless. He had somehow forged an advantage in the fight and wasn't about to let up on his quota now.

For a minute or so the exchange continued in this manner, with Riaku slashing out against the Kut-Ku's underside while fending off attacks with the brunt of his shield. From all accounts Riaku was winning the fight, and quickly at that. The Kut-Ku's movements were gradually becoming more labored as the battle stretched on, giving the impression that it wouldn't last much longer in this state.

 _I'm doing it…_ Riaku thought as his glare became a triumphant smirk, _I'm going to win and become a hunter!_

His thoughts drifted from the monster in front of him to other subjects, like the look on Gaia's face when he would return home as a tried-and-true monster hunter. The joy in her voice when he handed her the first of his quest reward money, or the pride in her smile when he donned the blue hunter's headband for the first time. Rinko would no longer be able to say that he wasn't cut out to be a hunter, and the whole village would finally know and respect his title as 'Riaku, the monster hunter from Pokke'.

Despite his headway in battle, however, there was one major mistake that Riaku was making. Any seasoned hunter knew that the only time to let your guard down was once the monster was confirmed dead. Becoming cocky and distracted near the end of a hunt had turned the tides of battle against many a hunter in the past, and now he was unknowingly repeating the same mistake.

Little did he know just how quickly the tables could turn on him.

Riaku made for another slash against the monster's shredded underside, his attack more direct and careless now that he was confident in his victory. However, in doing so he had forgotten to account for the long reach of the Kut-Ku's tail. The beast, although tired and wounded from battle, swiftly turned to its left. The result was a direct hit to Riaku's torso, an attack that caught the boy completely off-guard. His sapphire blue eyes widened in surprise as the Kut-Ku's red tail stuck his midsection with the force of a thrown log, sending the young hunter flying through the air before he even realized what had happened.

Riaku landed hard on his side, rolling several feet before he finally slid to a stop. The world was spinning around him as he slowly sat up and coughed, blinking repeatedly to clear his now blurry vision. By some miracle he had managed to hold onto his sword and shield, though he mentally cursed himself for letting his guard down like that.

Just as his vision was returning, a loud commotion from above caught his attention. He looked up to find that everyone was shouting at him with varying gestures of urgency, but he couldn't hear them over the ringing in his ears that he had gained when he collided with the ground.

"… _What_?" He asked as he tried to piece together what everyone was yelling at him. Finally one voice rose above the distant noise, a rushed feminine shout.

"Get out of the way! Riaku, MOVE!" It was Grace, her face red from all of her yelling as she pointed down into the pit across from Riaku. He followed her gesture until his eyes met the Kut-Ku that he had just been fighting-

And he froze.

The Kut-Ku was facing him, its wings held low as its gaping beak was aimed in his direction. Even from all the way across the arena, he could see it- a bright orange glow that was growing from the back of the beast's mouth.

It was going to shoot a fire ball.

Riaku stared at the heat that rose from the back of the Kut-Ku's maw and immediately began to shiver, tremors running from his head to his feet. In the back of his frantic mind he could feel the urge to move, to roll out of the way and avoid the attack; however, his body gave no response. He remained frozen in place, as if his fear had physically manifested and was now firmly holding him against the ground. His eyes were wide and dilated with fear as he stared on- though he wasn't seeing the Kut-Ku at all. Instead he saw ancient memories flash through his mind, unwanted but all too real.

He saw his old village in flames.

He saw dead bodies, mangled and burned, lining the streets.

A beast with glowing red eyes glaring at his mother's back as she fled.

His mother's lifeless blue eye staring at him as embers rained from the sky.

He could feel his strength leave his body at once, his sword and shield falling from his hands with a distant rattle. He could hear voices barraging him from above, but they hardly registered in his paralyzed mind- let alone pushed him any closer to avoiding the rapidly approaching flame.

"Move, what are you doing!?"

"What the hell is wrong with you? Get out of the way!"

"At least hold on to your shield!"

The fire from the Kut-Ku's throat was now fully formed in its beak. At any moment it would shoot forward and engulf its victim; and still, Riaku did nothing but stare with a pale face at his oncoming doom.

"Dammit!"

In a flash the figure of a person pounced onto the Kut-Ku's back from above, grabbing the bird wyvern by its large ears and forcibly turning its head to the left. No sooner had this happened the monster released the attack that it had initially aimed at Riaku. The ball of fire flew at a high speed toward the wall of the pit, where it exploded into cinders in a manner similar to Mikuna's fight.

Riaku stared at the burning dent in the wall, the realization that it could have easily been him taking that attack spurring his haphazard thoughts.

"What were you thinking, letting it have a clear shot at you like that!?" The outraged voice of Koh came from his left.

Riaku turned toward his instructor, who had now managed to rein the Kut-Ku into its cage and was currently slamming the metal grate shut.

"I-I don't… It just… Happened…" Riaku stuttered out, his head finally beginning to clear.

Koh turned toward Riaku with a glare on his scarred face.

"You were doing a fantastic job up until you froze like that." Koh said with a gruff voice, crossing his arms.

"I'm sorry, instructor…"

The older man paused for a moment, sighed, then shook his head.

"Riaku, I'm afraid I can't allow you to become a monster hunter. Not after seeing _that_ display."

"What… W-What are you-"

"You fail. You're done. Finished."

Those words struck Riaku harder than the Kut-Ku's tail had. At once he was plunged back into reality, his previously petrified mind now soaking in the full effect of what had happened.

"I… Failed..?" Riaku whispered, but Koh was already climbing back up the wall to meet the other kids.

"For those of you who passed, come with me. It's time to discuss hunter-specific items like potions and whetstones." Koh said to the three who had been triumphant, never looking back at Riaku as he disappeared over the edge of the pit.

Mikuna spared just a glance at Riaku, her eyes indifferent, before she turned to follow her teacher. Meanwhile Orman and Rinko remained for a minute, staring at him with different expressions. Orman still looked confused, as if Riaku freezing up didn't yet register in his mind. Rinko on the other hand…

"I told you this would happen!" Rinko called down with a glare. "You should have just been a farmhand for the old lady, but instead you had to come make a fool of yourself in front of everyone."

Riaku couldn't even find the heart to respond. The pit in his stomach was still growing with the realization that he had failed, so he had yet to digest the embarrassment and shame that was pooling up in the back of his mind.

"Pathetic." Rinko spat as he turned to follow Mikuna, "You're just as pathetic as you've always been. Worthless bastard."

And with that, the two remaining trainees turned and walked from Riaku's sight. The young man looked down at the sword and shield that lie in the dirt beneath him.

 _I didn't pass… I couldn't overcome my fear at all_ … He thought as his vision began to blur with tears. _What the hell is wrong with me..?_

"Riaku…" A soft voice came from in front of him.

He looked up, not bothering to wipe the forming tears in his eyes. Before him stood Grace, who had entered the pit without his notice.

"Are you going to be okay..?" She asked with an empathetic look.

"Y-yeah… Yeah, I'll be fine." He answered with a sniff, wiping his face on his sleeve. "I just… Have to go. Thank you for your help today."

"Sure thing," She said, turning for the wall. "Also, you can keep the equipment if you'd like… I know how much being a hunter meant to you, so I won't be upset if you hold onto it."

"Thanks, Grace." He said, crouching down and gathering the sword and shield.

She nodded with a hum before climbing up the wall.

"See you around." She said before disappearing as the others had.

With no one else around, the ring fell silent. Riaku stared at the sword in his hand for several minutes before sheathing it and turning for the wall with a shake of his head. He slowly passed the training grounds, sparing a glance at the beaten dummies that he had been fighting just moments ago. He walked out from beneath the shadow of the great Hunter's Guild, his shoulders slumped and eyes trained on the ground in front of him.

He had failed… How was he going to tell Gaia about this? She was probably waiting for him at home with an expectant smile on her face. Would she be disappointed that he had lost his fight? No, knowing her she would probably be proud of him either way.

Somehow that didn't make him feel any better.

Riaku stopped walking and sighed, pausing right next to a popular tavern. Of course conversation was everywhere, but one nearby voice was exceptionally loud amongst the gathering.

"Yep, damn things are everywhere. Tore my crops half'ta shit. Probably gonna have to find a hunter to take care of 'em…"

At first Riaku didn't pay much attention to the gruff voice. He was still worried about Gaia, if not her reaction to the news then how they would get by without money from quests. Of course he could keep helping her tend to her plot, but that was barely enough to keep them both fed as it was.

"How're you gonna pay for a hunter to trek out there?" Came another voice, nearly as loud as the first. "I reckon they cost a pretty penny. Especially if it's a whole herd we're talking about."

Riaku once again sighed and made to continue on his way home. He would have to work twice as hard in order to make up for this, if not by working with Gaia then he would find another job at the Pokke farm or something. Whatever it took to make money…

"Hey now, the way I see it, anyone who's willing to take care of them bullfango for me is deserving of nice pay. After all, there ain't too many places to grow snow herbs 'round here, so they fetch a pretty decent price. I've got the money to spare on a hunter."

Riaku stopped in his tracks, his face rising as he realized that an opportunity had opened for him.

 _That guy has money… And all I have to do is run off the bullfango in his herb field_? Riaku thought, the sword pressing against his back giving him an idea.

"Uh, sir?" Riaku asked as he turned around and walked over to the group making all the noise.

"Huh?" The man grunted while turning to face Riaku. He appeared to be in his mid-thirties, with a tattered coat and an ill-kempt beard.

"You said you're having a bullfango problem, right? You need them out of your snow herb field?"

"That's right." The man said while crossing his arms. "What of it?"

"Well, I was thinking that maybe _I_ could help you out." Riaku said as he pulled on the handle of his sword for emphasis. "That way you don't have to go through the hassle of setting up a request for the Guild to process."

"Hmm… You're a hunter, eh?" The man replied with a skeptical look. "You seem kinda young. And ain't that the equipment that the Guild provides for newbies?"

 _Crap, he might think I'm too inexperienced to handle the job… And if he finds out that I failed the academy there's no way he'll let me do this. I have to persuade him somehow…_ Riaku thought before getting an idea.

"Yeah, I'm pretty new, but a few bullfango are nothing I can't handle." Riaku said with a dismissive wave of the hand. "Besides, I won't charge you as much as a Guild hunter would… And I'd get to it faster, too. What do you say?"

Riaku held his hand out for the other to shake, hoping that he had done a good enough job of persuading him. The man stared at him with a furrowed brow for a moment, before belting out a hardy laugh.

"Alright then, you've got yourself a quest!" He answered with a firm handshake. "How's five-hundred zenny sound?"

It took a lot of self-control for Riaku not to seem surprised by the offer; five-hundred zenny was more than he and Gaia had ever held at any given time. With that much zenny they could buy a feast, and still have some money left over for home repair.

"That sounds great!" Riaku said with a smile, "Er- I mean, that will work."

Once more the man laughed, before releasing Riaku's hand and digging through a pocket in his trousers. He fished out a folded paper and wrung out the creases on a table before handing it to Riaku.

"This is a map of the mountains 'round here," He said while pointing at a marked red 'x', "And _this_ is my snow herb plot. Get those bullfango outta my hair and the zenny is yours. But if you fail, then don't bother coming back. I'll just put the money toward a Guild quest reward, got it?"

"Yes sir, I'll have it done before you know it!" Riaku said with a smile as he turned for the main gates for the village.

"Alright, good luck boy!" The man replied before turning back to his group.

Riaku immediately started running toward the village gates- he might have failed out of the hunter's academy, but maybe he could still make money for Gaia by doing village requests. The pay was good, and a few bullfango weren't anything he was particularly worried about fighting. After all, they didn't spit fire like the Kut-Ku did, so what could be so difficult about fighting them?

It wasn't long until Riaku had passed through the main gates and into the range of snowy mountains outside. The whole time he ran at a steady pace, the sword around his back bouncing with each step.

"Don't worry Gaia, I'm going to earn that band no matter what!" He said as he made his way into the world of monsters.

* * *

Riaku paused to catch his breath, his boots sinking in the light snow that covered this particular mountain. He had finally made it to where the 'x' was on the map, and now knew that the herb plot was just around the bend of the path in front of him. He paused to look back in the direction he had come from.

An hour of jogging had allowed him to cover a lot of ground, as there were several fields and forested hills between where he was now and the distant village of Pokke. Of course monsters became more frequent the further he got from the settlement, though so far he had yet to encounter anything more than popo and a few anteka- a deer-like monster that exclusively inhabited the snowy mountains.

Riaku pried his eyes from the beautiful landscape and instead directed his attention to the matter at hand. He was now about halfway up the mountain, which conveniently had a sloped path that led straight to today's hunting ground. He had stopped once he reached a bend in the path, and was now using it to hide from the bullfango that were currently in the plot.

There was no mistaking that the monsters were just ahead, as they made no attempt to be quiet while they rummaged through the field. A noisy assortment of grunts, snorts, and bellowing made their presence known to anything in the immediate area.

Riaku stashed the map away into his coat before turning to the bend ahead of him.

"Might as well see what I'm dealing with here…" He whispered to himself, before sneaking toward the rocky slope that divided him from his targets.

Once he was there he slowly peaked around the corner, moving just enough so that he could see the land in front of him. Just as the man had mentioned, it was a large plot for producing snow herb- though now most of the mint-green commodities were either uprooted or destroyed by the small group of beasts that remained there. The bullfango were a type of wild boar, covered with warts and coarse brown hair. Each wielded two curved tusks that protruded from the sides of their mouths, curving inward toward the end of their stubby snouts. Each had a stocky build and stood roughly four feet at their haunches, rummaging around atop four hooved legs covered with muscle.

 _So these are bullfango_ , then… Riaku thought as he sized up the four monsters that he was to kill. Judging by the looks of them, they probably attack by charging with those tusks… then trample whatever they connect with. _In that case I'll be doing a lot of dodging._

Before proceeding, Riaku took note of the field's surroundings. On the opposite side to him was a snowy slope leading toward the rest of the mountain, where he guessed the pigs had come from given the many tracks that it was covered in. Meanwhile, to his right there was a small shed and cart nestled into a hollow in the mountain's side. All that remained was the cliff to his left- the biggest foreseeable threat, as he was surely high enough to die if he were to fall.

 _They haven't noticed me yet, so I might as well catch them by surprise_ … Riaku thought as he set his eyes on the closest bullfango and unsheathed his sword. _Here we go!_

With a quick breath he dashed out from behind his cover and charged for the closest target. This particular bullfango was currently facing away from him, busy rooting through the snow. That made an easy opening for Riaku as he closed in on his target with his sword at the ready. At the last moment the bullfango turned a step to its left, exposing its side to the unforeseen threat. Riaku smirked as he caught the opportunity and unleashed a fierce side slash.

Unlike when he had fought the Kut-Ku earlier, his sword met no bone as he attacked- much the opposite, he carved into the beast's side with ease. A gush of blood and terrible squeal confirmed that he had made a clean cut, though he had no choice but to backstep as the boar sharply turned toward him with a thrash.

Riaku took a second to look past his current target at the rest of the field, and felt his smirk fade as he saw that he had caught the attention of the other three as well.

"The squeal must have alerted the others," Riaku thought aloud as he hunched down in a lunging stance, "Smart… I'll have to finish this one up before the others crowd around."

The bullfango directly in front of him lowered its broad head, its curved tusks aimed at Riaku as it pawed at the snow with its front right hoof. Riaku immediately recognized the hint at an oncoming charge and rolled out of the way, opting to evade rather than test his opponent's strength with his shield. As the boar plowed past him, a spray of white snow in its wake, Riaku lunged forward again with his sword. This time he caught the beast mid-turn, his sword hilting into the thick neck of the monster. With another unpleasant squeal the boar fell into the reddening snow.

Riaku began to smile at his successful kill, though that look was quickly wiped away when he noticed the other three were now pawing the ground in his direction as well, an indicator that he was about to be rushed by multiple enemies at once. His spirits fell even further when he noticed that his blade was still wedged into the first bullfango's neck, nestled in amongst gristle and muscle that was reluctant to release the weapon.

Riaku cursed as the first of the bullfango began its sprint in his direction, the hunter's blue eyes widening as he strained to retrieve his sword from its imprisonment. His anxiety rose higher as the monster drew closer at an impressive pace. With a growl of exertion Riaku firmly wrapped both hands around the sword's handle and pulled with all his might. Luckily the sword relented against his strain, flying free of the bullfango's neck with a spray of viscous maroon blood. Riaku stumbled backwards from the action just in time to watch a tawny brown blur rocket through the spot he had just been standing.

There wasn't enough time to sigh in relief before another opportunity for attack opened. The previously charging bullfango turned for another go at Riaku, but was met instead with a swift cut across its throat. Riaku smirked as he soared past the staggering monster, a momentary line of crimson tying the jugular of the bullfango to the tip of his silvery blade.

 _I guess I picked up a few things from the academy after all_ , he thought to himself, the memory of his earlier failure completely overshadowed by his growing confidence. Maybe, just maybe, he could make this hunting thing work out after all; of course it would have to be under-the-table work, and as such was much more legally risky as well as lesser paying. But hell, money was money right?

 _And besides_ , he thought as he pivoted to face the remaining bullfango, _it's obvious that I have a talent for this- otherwise killing these guys would be much more difficult._

That sentiment was a growing flame within his chest, a confidence that swelled within him as if his dream had been given a second chance.

Once Riaku had turned to face his other two adversaries he was met with an interesting sight. Rather than paw the ground in his direction or grunt aggressively, the bullfango before him seemed nervous; one shook its head as it stamped the snow uncertainly, while the other had turned to favor the mountain path from which they came.

_That's right- the quest wasn't to kill them all, just to run them off the plot. In that case, I'll wrap this up quickly so I can get the money sooner. Gaia and I will have a feast tonight!_

His mind was momentarily filled with thoughts of roasted meat, seasoned with mountain herbs and served with sparkling cider. A fresh loaf of bread smothered in butter, an undeniable improvement over the stale stuff they'd been living off to this point. The thought made his mouth water, but was nothing compared to the joy he felt when he imagined Gaia's smile. She likely hadn't had a good meal since before her husband died, so this was certain to mean even more to her.

 _Soon_ , he thought with an inward smile, _but first I have to scare these pigs off._

"That's right, get out of here!" He yelled across the plot, his voice echoing off the rocky surroundings. "Don't make me finish you off myself! Go on!"

As the boars took tentative steps away from him he sheathed his sword and waved them off with his open hand. For a few moments it seemed that his threats were working as the beasts, albeit slowly, were backing off from the small field. However, Riaku soon got the feeling that something wasn't right. The bullfango had begun to sniff the air with their stout noses, their eyes occasionally leaving the hunter in favor of the path behind him. He momentarily pondered what they were sensing, but decided to think nothing of it.

 _Probably just an anteka or something following the path_ , he thought with annoyance, _why don't they just leave already? I'm getting tired of waiting on them… If they don't move soon then I'll have to kill them after all._

With that as his motivation, he gave one last warning to the hogs.

"I'll really kill you if you don't leave!" He shouted, knowing that they couldn't understand him but hoping that the noise would scare them off. "Do you want to end up like your two friends there? If not then you'd better-"

The hunter cut himself short as he felt the presence of something else approaching him from behind. At first it had been rustling in the snow at the head of the trail, but had now escalated into a soft cracking sound as the fresh snow was being compacted by a series of growing thuds. Riaku immediately recognized the thuds as footsteps- or rather, hoofsteps- and immediately turned to see what was coming toward him.

What he saw caused his heart to drop.

It barreled toward him at an impressive pace, its muscular legs tearing through the snow without issue. Two large, twisted tusks curved inward from the edges of its mouth, much larger than those of the bullfango he had just been fighting. In fact, _everything_ about this creature was larger than the bullfango, despite them sharing a nearly identical appearance.

There was no mistaking it. The giant boar that was throwing itself at Riaku was a bulldrome.

With widening eyes Riaku made to roll out of the beast's path, but could only make it a few feet before the incredible speed of his charging foe clipped his side with one of its tusks. As a result Riaku was thrown into the snow, rolling several feet before coming to a stop. His head was spinning, and loose snow now filled every gap between his coat and his skin, lighting his body up with an icy discomfort.

 _Damn it_ … Riaku thought as he forced himself to his feet, _that old man never mentioned a bulldrome!_

True enough, the drunken farmer from the pub had failed to mention that the bullfango in his plot had a leader. If he had, Riaku might have reconsidered taking the quest, but it was too late for what-ifs now.

The young hunter slowly unsheathed his sword, the scabbard releasing the iron blade with a low hiss. All the while Riaku studied the bulldrome- for the most part it looked just like the bullfango at either of its sides, though the size difference was outstanding. It towered above its comrades as it shook its tusks aggressively, pawing at the snow in Riaku's direction. The only other defining characteristic it possessed was the spiky mane of white hair that ran from its shoulders down its back. Riaku had heard once that the longer the hair was, the stronger the bulldrome. The mane was a testament of sorts to how long the beast had lived as the leader of its herd.

Riaku eyed the silvery hair that stood like bristles on its back. If what they said was true, then this was bound to be one tough opponent.

The field was quiet save for the grunting of the herd. Riaku felt nervous sweat trail from the brim of his cap down to his neck. This wouldn't be as easy as the bullfango he had just been fighting… He was no longer dealing with a small monster, after all, but rather a large monster recognized by the guild to be a challenge. If this were a guild quest it would likely be placed in the two-star difficulty range, in the same league as something like a kut-ku. The only saving grace was that the bulldrome couldn't spit fire at him.

The giant boar's sunken eyes remained trained on Riaku's, and there was a moment of tense stasis between them. Then, out of nowhere, it began.

The bulldrome threw its head upward with a deep bellow, then charged at Riaku with a lowered head. At the speed it was going it could easily impale him on one of the tusks, but Riaku knew from his earlier interaction that he couldn't dodge quickly enough to fully avoid them. That left one other option.

With a grimace, Riaku hunkered down behind his shield and braced for the impact. A second of tense suspension passed, then a powerful blow rocked against the iron dome in his hands. Riaku's feet were tilled through the snow as a loud crash erupted from the field, the boar's tusks denting the barrier with a flash of sparks.

Not wasting a moment, Riaku put his training into practice and pulled the shield toward him before throwing his full weight against it. The result was a metallic slam against the side of the bulldrome's head, which momentarily stunned the creature as it grunted in pain.

Riaku seized the opportunity to lash out with his sword, leaving a barrage of thin cuts against his enemy's throat and shoulder. He noticed as he attacked that his sword wasn't cutting as deep as it had against the bullfango, probably due to the bulldrome's thicker hide. It was an inconvenience, but Riaku continued to slash out until two other sets of gaining footsteps caused him to withdraw behind his shield once more.

Two powerful, albeit smaller, impacts rocked against the shield in his hand, reminding him that the bullfango from earlier were back in the fight. He made to shield bash again, but froze when there was resistance. He tugged on the handle of his shield, but for some reason it didn't move towards him. He cocked an eyebrow and looked down, then gasped at what he saw.

Two large, curved tusks were protruding from beneath the shield, their twisted ends hooked onto its inside. Riaku stared at the tusks for but a second before the tides of battle were suddenly shifted against him. In one fluid, seamless movement the tusks flipped upward, tearing the shield from Riaku's grasp and sending it flipping through the air. It landed several yards away where it was immediately lodged into the snow. Riaku stared at it in shock before turning back toward the fight.

No sooner had he faced the bulldrome again he was met by a powerful uppercut from the beast's thrashing tusks. The motion sent Riaku flying through the air before he could even recognize what was happening. Luckily he came to his senses before hitting the ground and shifted his weight to land on his feet. Once he landed he immediately meant to dash for the discarded shield, but froze as the two bullfango charged his way.

Riaku cursed before turning toward them with his sword in a blocking stance. This worked well in the case of the first bullfango, who sent him stumbling backward but otherwise unscathed, though the second impact carried with it an unfortunate familiarity. Just as his shield was thrown from his grasp, the bullfango tucked its tusks under the sword's blade before throwing its head upward, sending the sword flying in a similar manner.

And just like that, Riaku was left helpless.

His widened blue eyes sought out his lost equipment as it lay in the distant snow. His panicking mind was torn between rushing after the sword and shield to continue the fight, or cutting his losses and running away. It was a battle between pride and necessity, with several unfavorable variables tossed in. Would he have time to reclaim his weapons before the next charge came? If so, what were the chances that he could still come out of this fight victorious? After all, he was only doing minimal damage to the bulldrome, not to mention the two remaining bullfango who were, if nothing else, a dangerous distraction. If he chose to flee from the fight, could he really outrun his enemies? What if-

The thought was caught short as Riaku learned another pivotal lesson. One that any seasoned monster hunter knew.

You never hesitate during a fight- and you certainly don't lose yourself in thought at times like these.

The sounds of another charge snapped Riaku from his thoughts, causing him to turn just in time to see the top of the bulldrome's head, its tusks low and ready to strike. Riaku had no time to dodge, and even if he had, there was no window to do so. Not with the bullfango to his left in right.

With another curse, Riaku buckled down and crossed his forearms in front of him, backing his block with every ounce of his weight. Of course he knew it wasn't much of a defense- after all, if the bulldrome could toss his metal shield through the air as if it were nothing, surely his arms stood no chance. Still, he forced his eyes shut and clenched his teeth with a grimace.

Then, before he knew it, he was in the air.

Riaku cried in pain and shock as his arms were forced apart, exposing his midriff to the side of the bulldrome's thrashing tusks. The result was a hit that not even twenty grown men could match. The young hunter was sent spiraling and spinning, flipping and thrashing through the air before finally making contact with the snowy ground. It was icy cold to the point of burning, but Riaku knew to be thankful. After all, had it not been for the heavy snow, he might have died upon impact. Instead he was sent rolling before sliding on his front across the pure white surface.

With a shaky exhale he opened his eyes to find that the world was a spinning blur around him. It took him a moment to realize that he was still moving backwards- although he was no longer sliding. Another moment passed before he noticed that the blow had sent him toward the edge of the cliff- and a third moment revealed to him why he was still in motion despite laying still.

It wasn't _him_ that was moving- it was the snow around him.

For the umpteenth time that fight Riaku's blue eyes shot open in shock. Having grown up in the mountains he was all-too familiar with what was happening. It was a snowslide- the beginnings of a potential avalanche.

Riaku looked at the cliff behind him and gasped before desperately clawing at the snow in front of him, fighting to move beyond the shifting ground before it could dump him off the side of the cliff as well. Unfortunately it seemed that the more he fought, the faster he was pulled toward the edge- until suddenly there was nothing beneath his legs anymore.

With a cry of terror and a desperate attempt to grab anything near him, Riaku was dropped off the side of the mountain. Wind rushed past him as snow fell around him, his momentary weightlessness a promise that he wouldn't survive the forthcoming impact.

It seemed his end was quickly approaching, until a lucky hand from fate delayed his inevitable death. His body jerked to a stop as something wrapped around his right wrist, causing him to spring back upward a bit before colliding with the edge of the cliff. Large chunks of snow and dirt fell around him, pelting his shoulders as he lowered his head. Once the falling debris had stopped raining down, he looked up to see what his hand had latched onto.

His savior was a fir sapling, large enough not to break from his grasp but small enough to be pliable. The small tree had somehow sprouted from a gap in the rocky face of the cliff, and despite the odds had rooted and grown there.

Riaku grinned up at his savior for a moment, though the look faded into a sad smile as he realized that it was a temporary fix. Before long his arm would get tired, and he was positive that nobody would pass through in time to save him. He looked around for a way to climb back to the field, but was met with nothing but steep, slick rock and the occasional stalactite of an icicle.

 _So this is it_ , He thought with teary eyes, _this is how I go… Not as a hero, surrounded by money and fame- not as a hunter who dies valiantly on the battlefield, but as a stupid kid. As someone who never achieved anything. All because of my fear of fire… Of my weakness._

He lowered his eyes to the fall before him, to the beautiful tops of evergreens adorned in icy snow. Maybe if he was lucky the canopy of trees below could catch him, though he knew that thought was hopeful at best. From this height he was guaranteed death…

For a moment he pondered voluntarily letting go. He could die here and now, on his own terms. However, one thought kept him from following through.

It was Gaia.

She had worked so hard for so long just to keep him alive. Even with the odds stacked against him like this she would want him to fight, to hold on. If there was even a sliver, a microcosm of a chance that he could survive, she would expect him to take it.

He chuckled as his body swayed in the chilly mountain breeze.

"Okay Gaia… Just for you."

Still, minutes stretched into what felt like hours and he continued to have no way of escaping the situation. His arm was growing shaky and sore, while his resolve was quickly being eroded by the circumstances.

As his grasp slipped from his palm into his fingertips, he sighed in defeat. It was pointless. He mentally readied himself for the fall ahead of him, but then he heard something. A sound that would normally aggravate him, but in these circumstances caused hope to swell within his chest.

It was the sound of human voices- familiar ones at that. Voices that belonged to the bullies he had known for most of his life.

"… The tracks lead here. We must be getting close."

It was a strong male voice, wielding the confidence and experience of a leader.

_Rinko..?_

"You think so? We've been tracking this thing for what feels like forever…"

Less certain, but agreeable and whiny.

_Orman…_

"Wait, look over there. Someone has been here already."

A cool feminine voice, seldom heard.

_Mikuna._

"You're right… Two dead bullfango and quite a bit of blood. Another hunter?" Rinko asked.

"Absolutely," Mikuna replied, "and look there, they left their weapons."

"That's not good," Orman said with uncertainty, "Do you think they..?"

Riaku's grasp began to slip from the sapling, but he couldn't give up. Not now that there was a way out of the situation. He quickly reached up and grabbed hold with his other hand, hoisting himself upward as far as he could.

He momentarily paused to reconsider asking for their help. He knew that by doing this he would be opening himself to a barrage of harassment, but it was a small price to pay if it meant his life.

"H-Hey! I'm down here!"

His yell echoed off the cliff face and silenced the other three voices.

"Wait a minute…" Rinko began after a second, "That voice, and those weapons… Is that really you, Haidoji?"

Riaku grunted with effort as his grip once more began to slip down his handhold.

"Yes!" He shouted, "Help… Please! I can't hold on forever,"

Another second passed before three familiar faces peaked down from over the cliff.

"I'll be damned," Riaku said with a shake of his head, "How in the hell did you wind up in this mess?"

"So it was you that killed those bullfango?" Orman added on.

"Guys, please…" Riaku growled through his teeth, "Can you help me up? I'll do anything!"

Mikuna and Rinko exchanged glances.

"Can't we just..?"

"No, Rinko." Mikuna answered bluntly, "Being a hunter means more than slaying monsters. It means helping people, no matter how foolish they might be."

She looked back down at Riaku as she said the last part. He was certain that if his face hadn't already been red from exertion, it would have taken on that color out of embarrassment.

There was another moment of silence before Rinko sighed.

"Fine. I think I saw some rope in that cart over there. Orman, go get it."

Orman nodded then disappeared, only to return a moment later with a length of rope. Rinko took it before tossing one end down, which Riaku strained to grab with both hands.

"Alright, pull!"

At that command the rope began to lurch upward in increments. The whole time Riaku silently hoped that the ancient rope wouldn't snap and send him to his doom. Luckily he reached the brim of the cliff without issue, and quickly pulled himself onto the ledge with trembling arms. Once he was safely atop the mountain again he rolled onto his back and began catching his breath, closing his eyes as his chest rose and lowered shakily.

His eyes shot open again when a swift kick met his side, causing Riaku to flinch in surprise and roll over.

"What are you doing up here, huh Haidoji?" Rinko asked with a glare as another one of his kicks met Riaku's side. "Don't tell me you took a quest after all? _Our_ quest? You know that's illegal, right? What, are you above the law or something? Think you can skirt the rules? Huh? Is that right, _Haidoji_?"

Two more kicks. Pain lit up in Riaku's back as he curled into a ball against the assault.

"Rinko, enough!" Mikuna demanded, freezing Rinko as he prepared for another attack.

"What, you don't agree?" Rinko asked incredulously, "You know what he did was wrong, Mikuna, so don't stop me!"

Another kick. Riaku cried out in pain.

"I said _enough_." Mikuna shot back, ice in her voice as she stepped forward. "Of course what he did was wrong, but that doesn't mean that _you_ can be the one to punish him. He almost _died._ Don't you think that's enough of retribution for his actions?"

Rinko glared at her for a moment before turning and spitting on Riaku's coughing form.

"… You're lucky we came to kill that bulldrome," He said venomously, "And you're lucky that Mikuna is here. You could have fallen off that cliff for all I care."

Rinko suddenly turned away, but paused before walking off.

"Don't ever let me catch you doing this shit again. If you do, I swear I'll turn you in. What then? Good luck supporting Gaia without your freedom."

Without another word he began walking away, following the small trail of blood that led past the field.

"Let's go, Orman." Mikuna said after a moment, not sparing a look at Riaku as he slowly began picking himself off the ground.

"R-Right."

With that, Riaku was left alone. The howling wind was the only sound that consoled him as he shakily got to his feet and dusted the snow off of himself. For a moment he stood silently and stared at his weapons, still half-buried in the snow. He debated on whether or not he should ever hold them again, but with a sniff decided that he should hold onto them. At least for now.

Once he had gathered his belongings he began the long trek home. It was all the more difficult given his exhaustion and physical condition- both after the fight with the bulldrome and the barrage of kicks that Rinko had left him with.

After a while of walking tears began to blur the young hunter's vision. Not long after that his breath began to hitch and shake with emotion. Soon after he could barely even walk. As he exited an evergreen forest and emerged into an open field he fell to his hands and knees, sobbing into the dirt.

"Worthless…" He murmured as his forehead met the grass beneath him, "Weak… Pathetic…"

He suddenly threw his head upward, unleashing all of his feelings into a distraught scream.

" _Why can't I ever do anything right!?_ "

His voice echoed around him, repeating the statement to him at varying levels of volume. Tears continued to stream down his face. All he wanted to do was to make something of himself, to support Gaia. To prove to everyone that he wasn't some wimpy bastard… And yet here he was, alone and torn up, without a cent or merit to his name.

He cried alone in that field for a while before the sound of a footstep in the forest behind him caused him to tense up.

_Don't tell me they're back from killing the bulldrome already..?_

Fearing that the trio would return to see him in this condition, Riaku quickly sniffed and stood up, wiping his eyes as he looked into the forest behind him. By this point the sun had begun to set, casting shadows through the woods that fogged his ability to see well. He scanned the foliage for a moment before deciding that he must be hearing things.

 _Oh, well_ … He thought with another sniff, _I guess I should go meet with Gaia. She's probably waiting for me… God, how am I going to tell her about this?_

With a sigh Riaku continued on his journey toward the gates of Pokke, thinking through what to say to his adoptive mother when he got there. With his slumped shoulders to the forest he failed to see a pair of bright red eyes spying on him from behind a tree.

The eyes narrowed as a pale hand gripped the bark.

"Riaku Haidoji…" A soft voice whispered, masked perfectly by a sudden breeze through the fir canopy above.

The eyes studied him as he walked away, sighing and speaking under his breath. Another breeze flowed through, a drift of snow momentarily masking the eyes as they remained fixed on Riaku. By the time the loose snow had passed, the figure had also vanished from sight.

"I've finally found you."


	5. Miracle

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Desperate times call for desperate measures, and as such, Riaku takes the greatest risk of his life to prove himself. During this stunt he learns that guardian angels might exist, after all.

It was well past sunset by the time Riaku had made his way back into the village. Darkness covered Pokke, save for the occasional lit tavern or passing cart toting a lantern. The gloomy atmosphere, accompanied by the bitter cold of the mountain night's air, perfectly reflected the young hunter's emotions in that moment. It had been a long and disheartening day for the boy- though the part he dreaded most had yet to come.

One way or the other, he was going to have to tell Gaia about his failure.

A heavy sigh left Riaku's lips as he recalled the gift she had tried giving him this morning. The headband had been an expectation of sorts, or at the least a token of anticipation. She honestly believed that he was going to return to her as a hunter… And really, what indication did she have to think otherwise? Since the day he could speak Riaku had longed to become a monster hunter, spouting off facts about local monsters and fighting pretend wyverns out in the yard. As he grew, so did his longing. Factoids on wild beasts became a growing pool of knowledge, while his imaginary hunts evolved into a steady workout routine.

He really _had_ taken his vocation seriously… But now?

"I guess passion can only get you so far…" He muttered to himself, his head hanging low. "It can't magically make your dreams come true, or get rid of your fears… Damn it…"

He paused on the trail he was following home and, without looking up, extended his arm into a punch. The blow connected with the bark of a tree growing at the roadside, which hardly shuttered at the attack. Riaku's hand, however, lit up in pain at the contact. Regardless, he continued to stare at the ground with a dejected expression.

 _I tried so hard…_ _and for what? Was it all a waste of time? What am I supposed to do now?_

The feeling of rejection and growing hopelessness within him threatened to break his resolve and flood his face with more tears, though they halted when he answered himself.

_Just make it home. Talk to Gaia. She'll know what to do._

Riaku sniffed against the cold air and wiped his face before continuing on his route. The rest of his journey was spent in silence, his thoughts a churning mess of crestfallen voices while his ears took in the song of the mountain's night- a symphony of gusts of wind, emperor crickets, and the distant hum of human activity from near the settlement's heart.

Near the _Guild_.

Riaku grit his teeth. Just a few hours ago he would have smiled at thinking about the massive hall in the center of town. Now, however, it made him feel sick. What was meant to lift him up in triumph had now become a monumental reminder of his failure.

In the end he took the long way around town on his way home rather than cutting through the center as he had earlier. Doing so would mean passing the tavern, which threatened another encounter with his would-be client. After everything that had happened that day, he couldn't bear the thought of telling his first questgiver that he had failed.

Before long Riaku reached the gate to his modest home and made his way to the door. He didn't open it, however, without first taking a deep breath of the mountain air. With a long exhale from his nose, he bit the bullet and made his way inside. No sooner had he done so, his eyes widened at what awaited him.

Sitting on their table was a small round cake, simple and rugged, but a cake nonetheless. Atop its light layer of frosting was a single candle, the light of which illuminated the hopeful smile of his adoptive mother.

"Welcome home, Riaku!" She greeted from the other side of the table, "I was beginning to wonder when you'd be back- you must have had quite the first day! I can't wait to hear all about it!"

His eyes flickered between her anticipant smile and the cake she had prepared for him. How needlessly expensive had those ingredients been? As long as he had stayed with Gaia, he could count the times they had a dessert like this on his hands with a few fingers to spare. She had spent her hard-earned money on a celebration of his success- a celebration that was ultimately unfounded.

The headband and cake had been bad enough, but what really cut into him was her smile. That expression of unwavering faith that he had succeeded and returned to her a true hunter… It struck him at his very core.

Before she could say another word, Riaku turned and ran for the stairs, barely holding back the tears that burned in his eyes above grit teeth and clenched fists. Gaia called after him in surprise, but he didn't stop until he had reached his room and slammed the door behind him. As soon as that was accomplished, he completely broke down.

The sword and shield he had been carrying hit the floor on his way to the bed, upon which he collapsed for an indiscriminate amount of time. Eventually, though, a sound other than his own sniffing could be heard.

"Riaku?" Gaia called through his door, "May I come in?"

He hesitated for a moment, really not wanting her to see him in this state, but brushed the thought aside. It was wrong of him to leave her in the dark any longer than he already had.

"Yeah," He answered, sitting up and wiping his face clean of tears.

Gaia cracked the door open and made her way inside, though he had a hard time meeting her gaze. Even as she made her way to the bed and sat beside him, he stared at the floor between his feet.

A long moment passed before she finally spoke. "Are you okay?"

He almost scoffed given the circumstances but knew better. Not only did she not deserve that sort of response, she had no idea what the day had thrown at him. Given those facts, he answered simply.

"No."

She hummed for a moment, then wrapped her arm around his back and pulled him toward her. She didn't have to verbally prod to get more information, though, as the moment his head met her shoulder, he began unloading his troubles.

"I'm a failure, Gaia. I did my best today, I really did- I tried so, _so_ hard." He paused to swallow, trying his best to maintain whatever shred of composure he still had. "At the end of the lessons they had us fight a kut-ku, and they breathe fire… I thought that as long as it didn't use that one attack, I'd be okay. It did, though, and I… Well, I froze."

She didn't reply, only rubbing his arm in consolation as he continued.

"I didn't want to quit there, though..." He continued with a sniff, "I didn't want to give up, you know? So I took a job in town- It wasn't officially contracted or anything- and it wasn't a big hunt, so I thought I'd be okay."

He let out a rattling breath at remembering what came next. His fists clinched atop his knees as he continued.

"I was only supposed to kill some bullfango out in the mountains, but then a bulldrome showed up… I almost got knocked off the cliff, and had to be saved by… B-By…"

He couldn't even say their names. That wound, along with all its conjoined embarrassment, was still too fresh. Luckily, he didn't need to finish the thought.

"Sweetheart…" She murmured as she pulled him even a little closer, the side of her head finding rest on his own. "You did your best. That might not mean a lot to any of those other people, but to me? It means everything. I'm so _proud_ of you."

He shuddered and shook his head. "You shouldn't be, though. I _failed_ … Not only did I not make any money, but I can't become a hunter here anymore… I don't know what I'm supposed to do now."

She hummed for a moment before pulling away from him and turning so that they were finally eye-to-eye.

"There are other ways to become great, Riaku." She said with eyes that were almost pleading, "You don't have to risk your life fighting monsters to make money, or even to be a hero."

He thought about what she said for a long moment, but it just didn't sit right with him. Sure, he could devote himself to something else, but wouldn't that be turning his back on his dream? On his greatest aspiration? Gaia would never be able to live the rest of her days in the lap of luxury, and his name wouldn't be known far and wide as a defender of the people. Perhaps most importantly, he wouldn't be able to pay forward what those hunters had done for him all those years ago.

"You're right…" He mumbled as he looked away once more, "It's just that… I really don't know what else I would rather do. I've always wanted this, and I feel like I always will."

He looked back at her, his deep blue eyes conflicted. "So what should I do?"

To his surprise, she smiled at him. It wasn't a happy smile, though- and while there was pride there, it was also tinged with fear.

"If that's how you really feel, then I don't think you should give up." She paused to chuckle, "Knowing you, you might not even be capable of throwing in the towel."

He flinched when she suddenly raised her palm to caress the side of his face. A moment passed in which she just looked at him, as if debating whether or not to say something. Finally, though, she continued.

"If you're really so set on becoming a hunter, then there are other ways to get there. You just have to make your own path."

His eyes widened a bit. Something about how she said that clicked in his mind, and not in the way she had intended. He was sure that she was implying he should get certified in some other settlement, though he gleaned a different idea entirely- one that just might fix everything if he played his cards right.

"Thank you, Gaia." He said with a shadow of a smile playing on his lips, "I'll keep that in mind."

Her own smile deepened a bit before she pulled him into a long hug. Once they parted she immediately stood from the bed and made her way out of the room, though she paused at the door.

"You can still have some cake before bed, if you want." She offered, but he shook his head.

"That's alright. I… Don't really have an appetite right now."

She nodded in understanding and made to close the door, though she couldn't completely leave before Riaku said one last thing.

"Thanks again… I love you."

The door paused as it was barely cracked open.

"I love you too, kiddo."

With that she left him alone and made her way downstairs. Riaku waited until he heard her steps reach the bottom before hopping up from bed and getting to work.

* * *

He looked the paper over one last time before setting it neatly on his pillow. His bed was made, his room was clean, and he bore the same equipment that he had during the bullfango hunt. Taking one last look around, he ensured that everything was left in perfect order before turning for the door. He didn't leave the room, however, without shooting one last sad smile at the letter he had left for Gaia. If everything went well today, she would never see what he had written. If something went wrong, however, that bit of parchment would keep her from wondering what happened to him.

He closed the door as quietly as he could before heading down the stairs, moving slowly and carefully avoiding each creak along the way. It was once he reached the main floor that he could hear light snoring coming from her bedroom. The sound made him feel a bit guilty, but he couldn't turn back now. The plan was set in stone, and he was determined to see it through. With that as his resolve he made his way out the front door, pausing only after closing it behind him.

"Bye, Gaia," He whispered, "I hope that when I come back I'll be deserving of that headband."

He waited for a moment, as if listening for an answer that he knew wouldn't come, before turning from the house and walking into the darkness.

It was early in the morning, an hour or so before sunrise. The settlement was mostly still asleep, and as such was eerily quiet as he made his way through the main square toward the main Guild building. To the right of the entrance was a board dedicated to open contracts- papers holding information on local monsters that had yet to do anything warranting a formal quest. Regardless, the targets were close enough to the settlement to be considered a threat, and therefore were assigned bounties that any certified hunter could claim. The rewards weren't typically as hefty as an official Guild quest, though they could still be pretty substantial given the monster. Regardless, Riaku's main concern wasn't the reward money.

His eyes ghosted over the lower-level bounties before stopping at the bottom. It seemed that there was a quest set aside from the others, one that was seen as more challenging.

Perfect.

He reached out and pulled the paper off the board before looking it over, and couldn't help but swallow hard as he read the title:

**Silver-Crown Large Tigrex Sighting Near Pokke Village. Utilize Extreme Caution.**

_Tigrex, huh?_ He thought as his eyes scrolled down the parchment, gathering information on the target's location as well as the reward offered for its death. _That ought to do the trick._

He took a cautious look around before folding the paper up and stashing it into one of his pockets alongside a length of rope. With one last check to make sure he wasn't forgetting anything, he set off for the village gates.

The plan was simple: he would either become a hunter or die trying. No more exams, no more begging for jobs- no, once he had killed the most dangerous monster around, they would _have_ to recognize him as a tried-and-true hunter. After all, even experienced hunters were wary of monsters on the level of a tigrex.

His eyes lowered with thought as he exited the settlement gates. If he succeeded with this hunt, then the payoff would be incredible. However, the risk was equally as awesome. He was attempting to fight an ecological tyrant with a nasty reputation for being as territorial as it was brutal. These monsters were often placed in the six-star difficulty range, while kut-ku and bulldrome were around the two to three-star range. Given his recent failure with fighting them both, he was more than a little anxious about this steep rise in difficulty.

It didn't matter, though. No one in Pokke would ever take him seriously as a hunter unless he proved himself, and today was the day that he would do just that. If he couldn't even kill a single monster, then who was he to dream of saving entire communities someday?

That thought was his resolve as he made the lengthy trek to the location marked on the paper. As he traveled the sun began to rise over the mountaintops, bathing the world in orange light that gave way to the blinding glare of midmorning sun reflecting off the deep snow. Finally, though, he reached the foot of the small mountain range that the tigrex was last seen on. For a while he had been eyeing a turbulent storm raging near the top of his destination, the dark clouds hanging around the peak peppering the air around him with large snowflakes. As he began to ascend the range, he only hoped that the storm wasn't a bad omen, or worse yet, an additional hazard thrown into this already daunting hunt.

Climbing to the top had been a challenge, as Riaku had to navigate through winding caves that snaked through the monolith, as well as up sheer cliffs, the likes of which only supplied occasional rocky coves or sparse roots to aide the teen along the way. Eventually he found himself near the top of the main mountain, on a fairly level and spacious outcropping that one of the many caves connected to. Not that he could know for sure that he had made it most of the way up, though the climate of this new area seemed to indicate that he had reached the storm that he was observing earlier.

His surroundings were completely obscured by a thick sheet of white, save for the few yards he could see in front of him. Snow and small bits of hail pelted against his face as tumultuous gales assaulted him from every angle. With a shaking breath Riaku pulled his coat closer to his body and began trudging forward, only hoping that the low visibility wouldn't lead him off another cliff.

Before long a dark shape could be seen in the snow, so large and still that he thought it might be a boulder. As he walked closer, however, he found that the object was covered in coarse brown hair. With a cocked eyebrow he circled it, until he found a pair of tusks sprouting from one end.

_A popo… But what killed it?_

He took a few more steps so that he could inspect its belly, and felt his eyes widen at what he saw. The beast's underside was ripped open, its fur coat torn to bloody tatters, allowing its giant organs to string out in the stained snow.

The popo wasn't young, bolstering the impressive size seen in adult females. The fact that it had been taken down and ripped open at such a scale implied that its hunter was also quite large. Immediately Riaku's mind was drawn to the paper in his pocket- in the title it was stated that the target was a Silver-Crown Large tigrex.

The crowning system was designed by the Guild as a way to generally identify the overall size and weight of monsters. If a monster was of an average size for its species, then there would be no mention of a crown ranking in the quest details. If it was on the smaller side, it might warrant a Bronze-Crown Small classification, or if it were incredibly tiny, then a Gold-Crown Small was in order. The same principal worked in the converse; Bronze-Crown Large monsters were slightly larger than average, with Gold-Crown Large monsters being real bruisers among their species.

Tigrex were already rather large wyverns, so a Silver-Crown Large was no joke in this case- at the very least it was easily large enough to have issued this sort of an injury.

Riaku had just felt a rush of nervousness at the realization when a nearby sound caught his attention. He turned away from the popo in favor of a nearby set of groans and bellows that clipped over the whistling of the wind around him. There was a dull thud, then the sounds stopped, only to be replaced by something else. Something far less familiar to Riaku.

His sword hissed against its scabbard as he drew it from behind his back, his grip on the handle of his shield tightening as he took a few tentative steps toward the low growling and clamping sounds that he heard just a few dozen yards away.

His heart hammered in his chest as his own ragged breathing echoed in the cap against his ears. This was it, the time to do or die. Any mistakes from this point forward would likely prove fatal… Though any time that his fear threatened to dissuade him from his goal, he would remember why he was there in the first place. For Gaia, her hopeful smile, and the headband that she had bought for him. For Instructor Koh, who had barred Riaku from becoming a hunter in the first place. For Rinko, Orman, Mikuna, his old teacher, the tavern goer, and even Grace. He had something to prove to all of these people, and yet he continued mostly for himself.

This was to prove that he could become a hunter, a provider, a _hero_ , if he only tried hard enough.

Unfortunately, thinking and acting are two _very_ different things. While his mind was filled with resolutions that pushed him forward, his feet refused to move another step when he finally saw what he had come for in the first place.

It was a hulking shadow just beyond the veil of the snow, a giant that made Riaku feel like an insect in comparison. Even as it hunched over the carcass of a freshly killed popo, tearing into its prey's stomach in a fervor, it seemed to tower over him.

A long, jagged tail protruded from behind it, the plates of which alternated between colors of deep orange and sky blue. The same pattern continued up its muscular back and onto the scaled forearms that held the incision of its meal open. Leathery wings connected its abdomen to the loose equivalent of an elbow, albeit a spiked an imposing one. At the end of each forearm, which were dyed red from the blood of its kill, were three curved claws that put Riaku's sword to shame. However, it was the head of the tigrex that really spoke to its position as an apex predator.

Whether by scent or sound, maybe even some other sense that humans simply didn't have, the tigrex seemed to notice Riaku. It slowly drew its head out of the popo's belly and snaked its neck to face the young hunter. Riaku's previously pounding heart froze in his chest as he felt the blood drain from his face. Looking down at him was a broad head with pointed ears that jutted from either side of the back of its skull. Blue gleams shone from the craterous sockets at the base of the ears, their slit pupils assessing the human that was daring enough to approach. Nostrils flared above a bloody maw that panted heavy breaths through two rows of razer-sharp teeth.

Imposing didn't even begin to describe it. What Riaku found himself staring at was nothing less than terrifying. He was so awestruck by the primeval reaction of a prey item observing its predator that he failed to move, even as the wyvern turned toward him and planted its giant claws in the snow. With a deep breath, its wings flared outward and its mouth widened to unleash a roar the likes of which Riaku had never imagined. Forget his ears- the force of the scream was powerful enough to physically blow his whole body backward.

The weapons were ripped from his hands as Riaku found himself weightless for a moment before snapping out of his daze and entering a battling mindset. When he realized that he had been blown through the air he decided that he should focus on landing gracefully, but found himself unable to do so as he couldn't distinguish the white of the snowy ground from the white that surrounded him in every other direction. It was only when his back collided with the snow that he finally gathered his bearings- though the tigrex refused to give him even a moment to recover, as a maw brimming with chomping teeth charged through the haze in his exact direction.

Riaku's eyes widened with a cry of surprise as he shot up and frantically racked his brain for direction. Luckily he noticed the scooping motion of the tigrex's forearms through the snow, and immediately threw himself into a two o'clock roll aimed at the gap between the wyvern's left appendages. Miraculously he straightened from the roll unharmed as the charge passed him by, though a sudden turn on the tigrex's part launched a large chunk of snow that Riaku was unable to evade.

The force of the snow knocked him onto his back, and before he could even think about getting up again, an incredible pressure was placed on his chest. His eyes bugged in shock as his breath was involuntarily forced out of his lungs by the weight that had suddenly pinned him into the snow.

Riaku looked down and felt a strong dread grip him. A massive digit was pressing down onto his abdomen, two of the tigrex's three wicked claws spread just enough so that they pierced the snow on either side of his head. As his eyes followed the arm that was pinning him until they met the tigrex's own, he tried desperately to escape. He writhed and clawed at the snow around him, his body shaking terribly as hot breath reeking of blood repetitively puffed against his face. Regardless of what he tried, however, he was helpless to escape the widening maw that steadily grew closer to his head.

His eyes screwed shut as every muscle in his body tensed in anticipation of the killing blow. He was scared beyond belief, and yet felt another emotion that was even stronger.

Regret.

Regret that he hadn't gotten over his fear of fire back at the pit. Regret that he hadn't slain that bulldrome yesterday. Regret that he would never go on to protect others, or have his name savored in reverence. Regret that he never earned that headband, and regret that, out of all the children that Gaia could have wound up with, it had to be him.

_I'm sorry, Gaia. Thank you for taking care of me all these years._

He swallowed hard.

_Goodbye…_

His fate seemed sealed- he was pinned by a monster several times his own size, with a mouth full of teeth waiting to detach his head from his body. As far as Riaku was concerned, there was no way out of his predicament. That fact made what happened next all the more incredible.

Even as his eyes were tightly shut, he could see a flash of bright light accompanied with a deafening crash. In an instant the weight that had been pinning him to the snow was removed.

Riaku's eyes shot open to find that the tigrex was no longer hunched over him, primed and ready to kill. As a matter of fact, there was no trace of the wyvern- though he knew that it was still close judging by the awful volley of cries and roars that sounded from nearby.

The teen stood with a series of sputtering coughs, desperately gulping down the air that had been forced out of him by the pin. All the while he stared at a chain of flashing lights and thunderous cracks that illuminated the storm around him. The strange lights seemed to be coming from the same place that the tigrex could be heard from, though Riaku was nearly too afraid to investigate. It was only when the wyvern's roar was cut short by a particularly loud crash that he swallowed hard and forced his shaking legs to move toward the commotion.

There was a sinister silence in the wake of… _Whatever_ had just happened. The tigrex stopped vocalizing just as the earth-shaking explosions of light had also come to an end, leaving an unreal sense of peace in the wake of the previous chaos.

Finally Riaku could make out something in the snow- a wide mouth lined with countless sharp teeth. The sight nearly caused him to jump out of his own skin until he noticed that it wasn't moving. Stepping even closer after a moment, he found a trickle of dark, viscous blood running down the tigrex's extended tongue. Riaku's confused blue eyes trailed up its head until they found that its own eyes were glossy and unresponsive to his approach.

It seemed… Dead.

A sound somewhere between a sigh of relief and a cry of confusion left Riaku's lips as he stumbled through the deep snow and fell into a kneel at the tigrex's side. From there he placed the side of his head against the wyvern's scaly and still-warm neck, only to have his eyes widen in disbelief. There was no pulse to be heard, nor any signs of breathing.

It _was_ dead.

He stood and began to chuckle, which soon escalated into an ecstatic laugh as he nudged the body with his boot. Just moments ago he had been, for all intents and purposes, a dead man walking. Now, however, the monster he had come to slay was really dead! Somehow he had done it- he had survived! He had evaded danger!

He had! He had..! He had…

…

_Wait…_

The smile melted from his face as he continued to stare at the tigrex. He hadn't done _anything_. His blade never even touched the thing, let alone done any real damage. Given that fact… If _he_ hadn't killed the tigrex, then what _had_..?

Almost as if to answer him, a puff of air met the back of his neck. Not a sheer cold gust of the mountain storm, though… No, it was contrastingly warm. Goosebumps rippled up his arms as his breath hitched in his throat. After a very tense moment, he forced his trembling body to turn around.

What he found were two large, crimson red eyes that stared into his own from a face covered in light blue scales. The head was shaped somewhat like that of a horse's, though with a few stark differences; firstly, the snow-white mane of bristling hair that crackled with electric energy, lining the beast's lower jaw until it merged behind its equine ears, where it stuck nearly straight up from its back and shoulders. Next, and possibly most important, was the foreboding horn that protruded from the crown of its skull, the likes of which Riaku had never seen. The very structure seemed to glow, from a deep azurite blue at the base to a blinding white near the spiraled- and very sharp- tip.

He couldn't see the thing's whole body through the whipping wind, though he really didn't need to. The speckles and splashes of blood- which were nearly as red as its eyes- that covered its chest and mane made the answer to his earlier question very clear. Whatever this thing was, it was powerful enough to kill a tigrex in a matter of mere minutes.

Riaku took a shaking step back from the head that continued to look down at him with an uncompromising gaze. To his surprise the beast didn't follow him in his movements, opting instead to continue standing in place as it watched him. Riaku was overwhelmed with confusion that this _thing_ wasn't attacking him, a feeling that deepened when a sudden drift of snow obscured the creature from his view, only to pass and reveal that it had miraculously vanished.

"Wha-"

Before he knew it Riaku had rushed forward, looking around for any trace of the monster that had saved his life. While it wasn't as large as the tigrex he had just been fighting, the thing hadn't been petite- the top of his head hardly reached the height of its shoulders, and he didn't even get to see how lengthy the creature had been. Despite its size- as well as its glowing horn and mane- his apparent savior was nowhere to be seen.

Riaku scratched his head as he turned back, noting that the footprints it had left in the snow were barely even visible anymore. He racked his brain for an explanation as he made his way back to the tigrex's body, but ultimately came up empty on ideas. It really seemed that the white horselike monster had come here just to kill the tigrex and leave… But why?

A few moments passed before Riaku finally shrugged the issue off.

"Whatever," He muttered to himself over the whistling wind around him, "Either way, I'm still alive… And the tigrex isn't. In that case… I guess the quest is technically complete, right?"

It wasn't his kill, but it hardly mattered. It didn't seem that the victor was interested in the tigrex now that it was dead, meaning that Riaku could do with the corpse as he pleased. It was his ticket to redemption, a miraculous second chance. That thought brought a grin to his face, even though a twinge of guilt stung in his stomach.

Regardless, he fished the hunter's knife from the inside of his belt and got to work. Hunter's knives were a practically essential and uniform bit of gear that nearly all hunters used. The blade was hardly large enough to fight a living monster, though its sharpness made it perfect for carving off choice bits of recent kills.

A common practice when hunting far from a Guild was to sever a piece of the slain monster and return with it as proof of a successful hunt. From there a group would be sent to retrieve the body, which would be used for research as well as food and equipment needs. Given that the tigrex's head looked far too heavy to lug back to Pokke, as badass as it would be to do so, Riaku settled with removing one of the wyvern's claws at the first joint. He cut a hole through the fleshy bit of the claw before fishing the rope from his pocket and feeding it through. Before long the claw was strung across his back beside his scabbard- which were surprisingly alike one another in size.

Riaku looked his fallen target over once more before nodding to himself and setting off, pausing only to retrieve his sword and shield as he made his way back down the mountain, the feeling of the claw bouncing against his back constantly fueling his mind with images of surprised gawks and proud smiles.

After what seemed like an excruciatingly long trek back to the village, Riaku approached the hill leading to the main gates. As he neared, he noticed sounds of a commotion near the entrance- it sounded as though several people were gathered there, their conversation a low buzz that he couldn't quite make out. One voice, however, was immediately recognizable to him, and as he grew closer, he was able to make out what was being said.

"Please, you have to save my son! I don't have much money, but I'll give you whatever I have! You can take my home, my farm, whatever you want- just please, bring Riaku back to me!"

The guilt in Riaku's stomach flared up again. That was unmistakably Gaia's voice, and judging by her pleading tone, she had found his letter.

 _Damn it… I was hoping I'd get back before she could see it._ He sighed to himself. _Oh, well. I'd better hurry so that she doesn't worry any longer than she already has._

With that he broke into a jog up the hill, listening to the rest of the conversation on his way.

"We'll do everything we can, Gaia, but I can't promise anything. If the kid really did go after that tigrex… Well, let's not think about that yet."

It was a deep, masculine voice. One that was familiar to him, though he had only known its owner in passing. It was Rinko's father, one of Pokke's most renown resident hunters.

"I wouldn't put it past the punk, though." Another male voice said, though in comparison to the first it seemed light and squeaky. "Just yesterday we caught him trying to hunt in a nearby snow herb plot."

That was Rinko's voice, no doubt about it.

"Did he really?" An unamused voice answered, "The same day that he failed out? He's got guts, that's for sure. They just might not be to his benefit."

Instructor Koh, too?

Finally Riaku's head cleared the crest of the path before him, allowing him to see the group of people standing just within the village's threshold. As he had deduced, Rinko and his father were there, along with Koh and two other hunters he didn't recognize. Last but definitely not least was Gaia, who had her back to Riaku as she pleaded with the party.

"I know the boy is rash, and sure, he broke some rules," She began, her voice wavering with emotion, "But that's my _son_. Please… When my husband was alive, he helped each and every one of you in some way. All I'm asking is that you return the favor. I'll do _anything_ …"

As Gaia began to weep with the last word, her back still to the path, Riaku noticed each of the hunters' eyes shift toward him as he approached. Their eyes widened in varying degrees at seeing him turn up so suddenly, but the shock didn't stop there.

As he slowed his jog to a walk, Riaku reached for the rope that was slung over his right shoulder and removed the claw, holding the item out so that they could clearly see what it was. Being experienced hunters, the object was immediately recognizable, and its implications were not lost on them. Eyebrows raised, eyes bugged, and jaws dropped as he continued to walk toward them.

"No way in hell…"

"Are you shitting me?"

"I'll be _damned_."

Gaia hiccupped and looked between the faces of the hunters in confusion before finally following their gaze. By the time that she saw her son, he had already reached the gate and fished the quest paper from his pocket, flicking it open before holding it out with the hand that wasn't wielding the claw.

"The tigrex is dead." He said simply, "It's a few mountains to the southwest from here."

Had it not been for the commotion within the settlement, you would have heard a pin drop.

After a long moment in which Riaku really didn't know what to do, Gaia broke the stasis, her eyes growing even wetter than they already were before she rushed forward and caught her son in a tight hug.

"Don't _ever_ scare me like that again!" She cried into his chest, "You frightened me half to death, Riaku! I saw your note and thought that I was never going to see my baby again! Do you know what that _feels_ like for a mother?"

Riaku looked down at her in surprise for a moment before easing into a smile and returning the hug.

"I'm sorry, Gaia…" He replied in a soft voice, "But I did it. The tigrex is dead, and I'm perfectly fine."

His adoptive mother sniffed before removing her face from his chest, looking him up and down and running her hands along his arms.

"Are you absolutely sure you're not hurt?"

He let out a soft laugh. "Yes, I'm sure. I've never been better."

With another sniff she gave a slow nod and backed away from him before turning to the other hunters, who continued to watch on in disbelief.

"I'm sorry, gentlemen… It would seem I called you here for no reason," She chuckled as she wiped her eyes on the hem of her dress, "It looks like I won't need you to go after him after all."

"Never mind that," Koh replied, walking past Gaia straight to Riaku, "Let me see that claw."

Riaku flinched as a palm was suddenly extended in his direction, but nodded and handed it over. Koh immediately held it up in the sunlight, turning so that the other hunters could see as well.

"No doubt about it," Rinko's father said while crossing his arms, "Whichever way you cut it, that _is_ a fresh tigrex claw. A big one, to boot."

"It definitely fits the description," Another hunter agreed, "But you expect me to believe that _this_ kid killed a monster like that? With beginner's equipment, on top of it all?"

"I don't believe it for a second." Rinko stated bluntly as he alone eyed Riaku rather than the claw, "This wimp couldn't kill a kut-ku, or even a bulldrome yesterday. How could he possibly kill a tigrex? It's a load of bull."

"Quiet, Rinko." His father stated in a firm voice, "Most hunters can't level off against even a small tigrex until they've had a few years of experience under their belts. If this kid really managed to kill one all on his own… Well, then it's very likely that he's surpassed even you."

Rinko's eyes widened further at hearing that than they had when Riaku first showed them the claw. It was an expression that Riaku thoroughly enjoyed, given the history between the two teens, though he couldn't savor it for long.

"Fetch a retrieval cart!" The last hunter called in the direction of the Guild, "A big one!"

The hunters were adamant that they make their way to the tigrex immediately, and so Riaku set out of the village once more, though this time he was in a sizable group. Along with Rinko and his father, there were the other two hunters who had been at the gates, as well as a giant wooden cart drawn by two large popo and a couple of members from the Guild who had come to validate the kill. The first leg of the journey was relatively quiet, despite some muttering between the two nameless hunters alongside glances in Riaku's direction, though that changed when Rinko's father hung back to walk beside the teen.

"So, you're Riaku, then?" He asked in the manly voice to top all manly voices.

"O-Oh, yeah. Riaku Haidoji."

The older of the two grunted. "You have a great mother, Riaku. Gaia was worried sick about you. She was running from house to house begging for help- in the end, only those who knew her husband were up for it."

Riaku's eyes fell to the grass before him. "Yeah, she's pretty incredible. I'll have to make things up to her when we get back."

"Sure as hell." The man replied, "My name is Kito Okita, by the way, in case we haven't already met. If I'm not mistaken, you and Rinko go back a ways."

Riaku cast a glance to the teen in question, who walked on the other side of the cart with a set expression, not once turning to face his peer. It had been this way since they set out of the village- not that Riaku was surprised, given the circumstances.

"Yeah, you could say that."

Kito hummed, then fell silent for a moment. Riaku took the opportunity to look the man over from the corner of his eye.

Rinko was tall, handsome, and masculine in every sense of the word. His father, however, was even more so. The man stood a full head over Riaku, and sported the same dark hair and eyes that his son had. He owned more muscle and a deeper voice than most men could hope for, and his exploits as a hunter were practically legendary in the region. His armor set was a testament to his success in the field; scales, fur, claws, and teeth from any number of powerful and exotic monsters were worked into a set that practically radiated strength.

"So listen, Riaku…" He continued after a moment, breaking the younger from his thoughts, "I saw that claw. There's not a single doubt in my mind that it came from a tigrex, and that it was recently detached from the rest of the body. However, I've also seen your equipment- and while effective in the right hands, what you have equipped right now is very modest in the face of a beast like the tigrex."

"I can agree with that," Riaku conceded, "What of it?"

A deep brown eye shifted to the young hunter, stern even as a friendly smile played at the edges of Kito's lips.

"I want to hear the truth, Riaku. When we reach that mountain, will there really be a dead tigrex waiting for us? A hunter's time is valuable, you know. None of us want to believe that you would lie, and we certainly don't mind getting a look at the thing for ourselves, but if there's anything we should know, then it would be wise to speak up now."

What he said made sense. Had Riaku not brought that claw back with him, not a single one of these men would have believed that he had come out of a fight with the local apex predator alive. Even with physical proof of the kill they were having a hard time going along with it. Not that he could blame them given his reputation, along with his inexperience and, as Kito had put it, _modest_ hunting loadout.

"Don't worry, it's really there." Riaku replied, "Trust me."

Kito eyed him for another moment before nodding and returning to his previous spot near the front of the caravan.

The rest of the trip was fairly uneventful, though Riaku was surprised to find that the storm that had previously engulfed the mountain had subsided completely- exposing a slope that led up the rockface without the need to spelunk and fight gravity every step of the way. The fact that Riaku had missed this alternate path before made him kick himself mentally, though he decided not to mention it to the rest of the group.

Before long, and with relatively few difficulties, the cart reached the outcrop that Riaku had fought for his life on earlier, and a renowned sense of awe filled the group at seeing the partially snow-buried body of the tigrex that awaited them. As the hunters finally broke free from their doubt and congratulated him on his kill, the Guild staff took to measuring the body and jotting down their findings. Soon after the group joined the popo in loading the wyvern onto the cart, where it was secured with rope before being led back down the mountain.

While everyone else chatted near the front, save for Rinko who remained silent as the trip went on, Riaku hung back and stared at the tigrex as it lay in the cart. Its wings overlapped the sides of the wagon as its head lulled partially off the back, its tongue brushing the snow and hardy grass as it was dragged toward Pokke. Orange and blue scales reflected the unrelenting sunlight, broken up only by splashes of blood or gashes in its tough hide.

Seeing the injuries reminded Riaku of the strange monster that had saved him earlier. He could imagine its wicked horn tearing away at the tigrex's flesh as bright explosions repeatedly blinded the wyvern from anticipating the next attack. Maybe those explosions were a part of the monster's offensive arsenal as well? It was hard to say, as Riaku was unfamiliar with that species, though the popping static and electric glow of its horn and mane seemed to imply a hidden elemental strength.

Theories and speculations filled his mind until they once more approached the village gates. Like before there was a buzzing about the front of the settlement, though this time it was much louder and less downcast than it had been earlier.

"Sounds like the welcoming party is ready and waiting," One of the hunters commented with a chuckle, "Damn, word spreads fast out here."

"You've got that right," The other agreed, "It sounds like a good one, too. Maybe a hundred?"

Riaku's eyes widened. A _hundred_? There were a hundred people from the settlement who were waiting to see the tigrex?

"Riaku," Kito called back, looking over his shoulder with a smirk on his face, "Why don't you give 'em a show? Climb on up and sit on your kill as we make our way into town."

"Really? That's okay?" He asked in mild disbelief.

The hunters near the front laughed, while Kito chuckled in his throat. "Sure is- this is your moment, after all. They all came to see the kid who killed a giant tigrex. Nothing wrong with showing off a bit."

Riaku smiled back after a moment and nodded before hopping onto the cart and finding rest on the tigrex's back, his legs dangling off its side.

Kito gave him a brief thumbs-up while Rinko muttered something indecipherable under his breath. That lone tone of dejection was nothing in the wake of the settlement, however; by the time that the cart had cleared the crest of the hill and become visible to the awaiting crowd, countless people began to gasp and cheer. Riaku smiled down at the various expressions on the faces of Gaia, Orman, Mikuna, Grace, innumerable townsfolk, and even Elder Maria as the cart parted the crowd, finally slowing to a stop outside he Guild's hall.

"Now, now! Settle down, people!" Koh yelled, partially silencing the crowd as he made his way toward the front of the cart. "Let's get the official details before we get too crazy here!"

"Quite right," One of the Guild staff replied as he hopped down from the helm of the cart, turning toward the murmuring town with a comparatively bored expression. He waited until the crowd had become near-silent before continuing with a hum. "As you can see, the Silver-Crown Large tigrex that has been spotted on the outskirts of Pokke recently has been killed. The hunting party…"

He paused to extend an arm in Riaku's direction, the boy having just hopped off the cart to join everyone at ground level. "Was this boy, and this boy alone."

More gasps and excited murmuring rippled through the crowd, bringing the Guild rep to clear his throat loudly until everyone quieted down again.

"Given that fact, it would seem that credit for the kill- along with the reward posted on the open quest- should go to him exclusively." He paused to turn toward Riaku, his facial features stern. "However, that is _not_ the case."

Riaku's heart dropped into his stomach as the smile immediately melted from his face. He didn't have time to wonder why he wouldn't be credited with the hunt before the man answered for him.

"It would seem that this boy- Riaku Haidoji of Pokke Village- failed his hunter's exam as recently as yesterday, effectively barring him from legally accepting quests. The result…"

He finally looked away from Riaku, facing the crowd for a second that seemed to stretch on for minutes before finishing the thought.

"The quest, regardless of its open status, has been fulfilled by illegal means. Therefore, it is now null and void. A mute contract." One of the man's eyes returned to Riaku's devastated expression, "We thank him for his service to the community, but there will be no reward issued. That is final."

The response of the crowd was wild, though not unanimous. While some people cried out in disbelief, shouting about the scale of the hunt being worthy of a reward, others vehemently defended the ruling, citing that it would be unfair to reward someone who broke the rules.

In the end, Riaku didn't know how to take it. To say he was disappointed would be the understatement of the century, but he also knew that the entire ordeal had been a streak of good luck to begin with. Had that other monster not intervened, he would have never been put into this position in the first place. In a way, hearing that he wouldn't be rewarded almost helped to alleviate his guilt, though it still hurt that he wouldn't be receiving the second chance that he had risked his life for in the first place.

" _Wait_!"

Despite the voice being frail and relatively quiet, everyone who had just been arguing fell silent. Even Riaku's thunderous thoughts seemed to pause- after all, it wasn't often that _she_ spoke up in such a way.

The crowd began to part, allowing two people to make their way toward the cart. The first was a middle-aged man, well-dressed and proper, while the second needed no introduction- it was Elder Maria, the reigning authority on anything and everything concerning Pokke.

The short woman took her time walking through the crowd, finally stopping to smile pleasantly up at the Guild representative.

"True, true, young Riaku broke his fair share of rules to get here… But do you not appreciate the scale of what he's done?" She paused to turn back toward the crowd, extending her arms in opposite directions as if to encompass everyone who was listening. "Riaku failed to kill even a single kut-ku at his exam yesterday. I, myself, am most privy to that fact. However, he sought redemption in the most reckless way conceivable! He risked his own life to fight a beast that would unnerve even the strongest of hunters! Not only that, but he succeeded."

She turned to smile at him, her eyes closed behind her spectacles. "If nothing else, then he shows incredible promise as a budding monster hunter. He went off in search of redemption, and as far as I'm concerned, he has found it."

Riaku slowly began to smile again, the gratitude in his chest washing away the discouragement he was drowning in just a moment ago.

"He went against our laws and that cannot be overlooked… Though I find it equally criminal to refuse this boy what he has earned. Therefore, I demand that this young man be given the reward money in full."

The crowd began exchanging looks of surprise as even Riaku's eyes widened. He couldn't bask in the joy of knowing he would hold up his promise of making money for Gaia, though, before Maria continued.

"However, he will be temporarily suspended from being a hunter. No one may offer him a quest, official or otherwise, until we've had a chance to discuss his fate." She turned to completely face him, then held her small palms out in his direction. "Your weaponry, if you'd please."

There was a pang of sorrow in Riaku's heart, but he knew that even now fate was being generous to him. With a sad smile he walked over to the elder and handed her his shield before removing his scabbard and also giving her the sword. She hummed, her smile unwavering, before turning back toward the crowd.

"You will be updated with our verdict regarding young Riaku's status as a hunter who can represent the Pokke Village. In the meantime, please thank him for this great deed." She cast a final look at the Guild staff, adding: "And please get this young man his reward. That is all."

No sooner had the last word left her lips, the previous chaos of the crowd returned. The two Guild members bowed to the elder before making their way into the building, while the townsfolk rushed forward to congratulate Riaku or get a closer look at the tigrex. Kids from his old school flocked to him, asking him about the hunt and claiming that they wanted to be just like him when they graduated. Kito gave the aspiring hunter a hardy pat on the back as way of celebration before heading off with his son, making way for blacksmiths and armorers who readily offered Riaku their services for after he received his cut of the quest materials. Soon after a Guildmarm returned and handed him a hefty sack of zenny before excusing herself with a polite smile and bow.

Riaku gawked at the money in his hands, the chattering of the people around him falling into the background as he came to the realization that he had accomplished the first goal on the way to his ultimate dream. He looked back up and scanned through the crowd for Gaia, who he found near the back of the gathering with a smile on her face and tears in her eyes. He held the bag up for her to see with an incredulous look, which she replied to with a laughing nod.

It had been a rough couple of days for Riaku. Between the failure of his hunter's exam and the two near-death experiences he had been through since, there had been plenty of despair, frustration, helplessness, pain, and embarrassment to last him a lifetime.

In that moment, though, it all seemed worth it. Gaia was smiling, the village was full of pride for him, and his hands were literally full of money. Sure, he still felt guilty for not actually killing the tigrex himself, but it seemed like a means to an end, a hand that fate dealt in his favor just this once.

Regardless of what led him there, in that moment he felt like a true monster hunter- a true _hero_ \- and swore to himself that he would do whatever it took to maintain the feeling of purpose he felt.

Little did he know that fate had another twist waiting for him, a change so great that his life would never be this simple again…

And that change was approaching faster than he could possibly imagine.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As I mentioned previously, this chapter marks the transition from my older updates to my recent ones. About two years went by between chapter four and chapter five, so hopefully I've grown considerably as a writer in that span of time. Anyway, next chapter will introduce our first love interest, as well as a twist that will introduce the 'real' plot. Thanks for reading, and again, comments are appreciated!


	6. Forethought

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A fresh face disrupts the high that Riaku had been riding off his recent success, and brings with it foreboding news... It seems that Riaku is destined for trials even greater than his fight against the tigrex. The task laid before him seems insurmountable, until he learns of a gift that rests dormant within him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey there! If you've made it to this point, then you've officially made it through the setup chapters. In this one you'll be presented with the true plot that will guide the remainder of this story. Thanks again for giving my work a chance.

Riaku's eyes opened to the sound of songbirds chirping outside his bedroom window. The very first thing he did upon waking up was raise his hand to his forehead, running his fingertips along his skin until they met soft fabric. The edges of his lips rose in a smile- it wasn't a dream after all.

He sat up in bed and stretched a hand over his head with a yawn, recounting yesterday's events as he did so. Shortly after receiving his reward money for the tigrex quest, the monster's body was wheeled off to be researched before being distributed through the usual channels; butchers would receive its meat while the inedible parts- scales, webbing, claws, bones, etc.- would be divvied up by the Guild. They would keep a portion of the materials for their own cause, leaving Riaku with what remained. He wasn't exactly sure how many raw materials that would leave him with, though he wagered it would be plenty enough to make some new equipment.

Once the tigrex had been drawn away, the crowd slowly began to disperse. Once the last of the questions had been asked and the congratulations given, he and Gaia went shopping. Not long after they had the feast of their dreams- seasoned meat of all varieties, prepared in any manner of ways. Fresh cuts of fish, eggs, fruits and vegetables, pastries, and tea made with the best leaves money could buy. They ate and talked until late in the night in celebration before Gaia excitedly brought him his headband.

"Here, sweetheart," She had said with a beaming smile, "You've earned this."

Riaku turned and stood from his bed, passing the armor that hung at its foot before opening the window. The sun was barely starting to rise over Pokke's silhouette, the crisp mountain air rushing into his room to ghost over his bare chest. He made to lean out of the window and enjoy the sunrise, though he hesitated as he heard a cart passing on the street below.

"That's Gaia's house, innit?" A gruff male voice asked.

"Sure is. That's where that Haidoji kid lives- Riaku, I think his name was." Another voice answered.

Riaku pulled back from the dull light of the window to listen in on them as they walked by, curious to hear what they were on about but unwilling to talk to them directly.

"Sounds about right," The first agreed, "You see the size of that tigrex they brought in yesterday? They say it was a Silver-Crown."

There was an affirmative grunt in response. "I believe it, too. To think that someone could kill a monster like that on their own… And while still wet behind the ears, to boot."

"I'll say. Who knows? Maybe we have the makings of a hero in our midst."

The men continued to talk as they passed the house by, Riaku returning to the windowsill to watch their backs grow smaller with distance.

_A hero, huh?_

His smile deepened for a moment before growing sad. He sighed, then reached up and gently slipped the headband off his forehead. He looked down at the article as he held it in his hands, running his thumbs over the soft blue fabric longingly.

"I _didn't_ kill that tigrex, though…" He said in a near-whisper, "If it weren't for that other monster, then I would have died out there…"

His eyes rose to the sunrise once more as his grasp on the headband tightened. "Is it wrong for me to enjoy all of this? The money, the fame, the status… I mean, I didn't earn _any_ of it. Not really."

He paused to think the situation through again for the hundredth time since he returned with that claw, though his thoughts on the matter came to a screeching halt when an unfamiliar female voice came from behind him.

"So, he has a conscience after all."

Riaku whipped around toward the voice, the shock of realizing that someone had been sharing the room with him leveling off against the fear of facing a potentially hostile intruder. When he saw the source of the voice, however, these feelings were delayed by the intrigue he felt toward what must have been the strangest-looking girl he had ever come across.

She stepped out from the shadows of his room's corner and into the faint light of the window, looking roughly his age and perhaps a few inches shorter than he was, with one arm across her chest to support the elbow of the other, which was raised so that a thoughtful finger could press against her cheek. She had hair as white as fresh snow, the bangs of which were separated from the rest by a thin leather headband. The front was styled on the messy side, just long enough to cover her forehead in the middle while being allowed to fall to her neck on either side of her face. Behind the headband, her hair was much less tame- spiking and flowing in just about every direction as it fell to her upper back.

Her skin, like her hair, was incredibly light. Not to the same extent, though to say she had a fair complexion would be a bit of an understatement. The paleness of her face caused her two large eyes, deep red in color, to stand out even more than they already would have. Above said eyes, which were unwavering as they stared into his own, were eyebrows in keeping with the rest of her unique appearance. Whereas most people's eyebrows arched in what was more or less an uneven line, hers were rounded into stout ovals, tilted downward slightly as they rested at where the brow's furrow would lie for most people.

The oddity of what Riaku saw didn't end there, however. Minus the helmet and gloves, she wore an outfit very similar to his own Mafumofu set- the implications being that she was from Pokke, or was at least familiar with its general style. Unlike any Mafumofu clothing he had seen before, however, hers was decorated to an incredible extent; patches and dyed leather braids covered a majority of the armor, with bright blues broken up by carefully knitted white patterns, along with bloodred bands and belts around the waist, biceps, and boots, and lines of white claws and beads hanging from the collar and hem of the coat.

The look made him think back to the illustrations of his history books, in which the earlier Pokke hunters would also adorn their coats with colorful patches and beads- though never to _this_ extent. That fact made him wonder whether she was some sort of overzealous reenactment artist for a moment- though he didn't linger on the possibility for long, as he still had no idea who this girl was or why she was in his house. She just stood there, watching him with eyes that seemed to assess his every movement above an otherwise very stoic expression.

"W-Who are- I mean, where did- Why did you-" He took a breath to end the surprised stuttering before finally yelling: "What are you doing in my house!?"

She tilted her head at him slightly. "Isn't it obvious? I wanted to meet you."

_Meet me?_

His eyes flickered toward the coat that hung on the end of his bed, and in one swift movement, he extended his arm into its belt and retrieved his hunter's knife.

"I don't know how you got in here, or how you managed to sneak up on me like that," He began as he held the knife's tip in her direction, "But you need to leave. Now."

Unfortunately, his threat didn't deliver the desired result. Rather than seeming afraid or complying with his wishes, she just continued to stare at him with those big red eyes.

"What a strange man," She thought aloud, her posture unwavering, "You'll debate the morality of lying for your own benefit, only to turn around and threaten a girl's life in the same breath? It must be hell inside your poor head, what with how ethically confused you are."

Riaku felt his cheeks grow warm, both at hearing her insult and at not being intimidating enough to scare her off, even while brandishing a knife.

"Look, I don't want to hurt you," He said in a low voice, "So just leave, alright?"

Her eyes narrowed a bit. "You mean to tell me that the person who saved your life isn't welcome in your home?"

His eyebrows furrowed as the knife lowered a bit.

"What did you just-"

"Riaku? Riaku, what's going on?"

His eyes widened and shot toward his door, through which he could hear footsteps running up the stairs. He figured that Gaia must have heard his shouting and was coming to investigate, a possibility that he welcomed at first- though a second's thought immediately changed his mind.

His eyes swept back to the girl who continued to look at him with a thoughtful expression. If Gaia came in right now and saw him alone with some random girl… Well, he shivered at the thought of what would come next. He could practically hear the lecture already; hours of his life spent listening to Gaia rant about how she had raised him better than this, accusing him of using the first lick of recognition he received from hunting to lure some poor girl into bed.

All over a misunderstanding that even _he_ still didn't fully understand.

"It's nothing, Gaia!" He called back before turning to the girl and continuing in a hushed voice. "You need to hide, _right now_."

She hummed, her head tilting at him once more. "Hide? Why would I do that?"

" _Just do it!_ "

To his dismay the girl didn't move a muscle as valuable seconds passed by. Finally he heard Gaia reach the final step, and within a moment, the door to his room flung open. Riaku's widened blue eyes met the worried expression of his adoptive mother, who immediately gasped upon seeing the room.

"Gaia," He began in a pleading voice, "It's not what it looks like-"

"Why are you waving that knife around?" She asked as her concerned eyes swept from his own to the weapon he was still wielding, "Sweetheart, did you have another bad dream?"

"A bad dream?" He echoed with a confused expression, "No, why would you think that?"

"Well," She answered slowly as she took a sweeping look around the room, "Why else would you be talking to yourself and swinging that thing around?"

_Talking to myself?_

Riaku looked back over at the corner and was amazed to find no trace of the strange girl from a moment ago. His jaw slacked- she had just been here… Where could she have vanished to in such a short amount of time?

As he pondered her disappearance, Gaia continued to carefully look him over. "Honey, I'm afraid that all the excitement yesterday has gotten to you. Maybe you should take it easy for today…"

His gut instinct was to tell her that he was fine, though given the circumstances, he decided that it was best to go along with what she said for now.

"Y-Yeah, you're probably right…"

Gaia opened her mouth to say more, but was cut off by a few soft knocks on the front door. Both of their heads turned for the stairs before she hummed and began making her way out of the room.

"That's strange. I wonder who could be coming around this early?"

"I don't know," He answered, waiting until Gaia had left before frantically looking around for the girl. She wasn't under the bed, beside the dresser, behind his mirror… He even lifted his armor in disbelief, just in case she was a contortionist or something who could fit under the coat. Okay, that last one was kind of farfetched, but there really weren't any other places he could think of…

"Riaku, please come downstairs!" He heard Gaia call up to him, "You have a visitor!"

"A visitor..?" He thought aloud, pausing only to throw on his coat and headband before following her voice.

As he descended the steps he could hear Gaia having friendly conversation with whoever had been at the door. Given that fact, he decided to announce his arrival once he reached the bottom step rather than awkwardly wait for a break in conversation to include himself.

"Gaia, who's he-"

He froze in place as he stared at the girl who stood just within the threshold to his house. Her deep red eyes shifted to him as he gawked at her, a small smile playing on her lips.

"Oh, there you are, Riaku." The girl said, "It's so nice to see you again."

 _See me again? We only just met a couple of minutes ago…_ He thought, before connecting the dots between her vanishing act and immediate appearance at the front door. _Wait a minute… Did she really jump out of my window? What is with this girl?_

His eyes flickered between her expectant expression and Gaia before he decided to play along… For now.

"Yeah… You, too."

"Riaku, I had no idea you knew such a friendly and _cute_ girl," Gaia said with a small laugh, playfully nudging the girl's arm as she spoke, "You should have told me about Kira sooner!"

_Kira? So that's her name, then?_

"There's not much to say, really…" He admitted as he slipped his hands into his pockets, taking a few steps forward while continually watching this 'Kira'. "We met recently… _Very_ recently."

"Oh, is that so?" She replied, looking between the two, "You'll have to tell me all about it- and please, Kira, make yourself at home! Here, I just made a pot of tea…"

While Gaia crossed to the kitchen, humming happily as she went, Riaku shot the girl an incredulous look. In response her eyes narrowed at him, her smile growing microscopically.

"Thank you. Don't mind if I do, Mrs. Gaia."

"Oh, dear, please just call me Gaia!" The older woman replied with a chuckle as she poured three cups and set them out on the table, "Riaku has never had a friend over before, so you must be really special. Any friend of my son's is a friend of mine!"

Kira tilted her head with a close-eyed smile before politely taking a sip of her tea. Riaku eyed her for a moment before following suit, though having good tea for once lulled him into taking a much longer drink.

"So, Kira," Gaia began, "How do you know my Riaku?"

The girl hummed, lowering her eyes to her tea as a bashful smile turned her cheeks a light shade of pink.

"Well… We're betrothed."

Riaku's eyes shot wide as he choked on his tea. While he set the cup back on the table, he sputtered and coughed while clenching his chest. Gaia rubbed his back while he recovered, until he could finally form a verbal response. He wanted to shut her down completely, to remind her that they had only just met and that he knew next-to-nothing about her- though, as he saw the spark in her eye daring him to object, he took a gentler route.

"'Betrothed' is a bit strong," He finally replied between coughs, "We're hardly even together."

Kira gave a coy giggle, a pale hand covering her mouth as she did so. "Don't be so mean, Riaku. That's no way to treat your future wife."

He glared at her while Gaia let out a hardy laugh, her diverted attention while helping Riaku subsiding with his recovery.

"I think I see what's going on here," She sighed dreamily as her eyes rose with thought, "Young love can be so spontaneous. My, when my husband and I first met, we just _knew_ that we had something special right away."

"Exactly," Kira agreed with a giggle, "Some things are just meant to be, after all."

"As if," Riaku muttered into his cup as he went for another drink.

"Now, Riaku," Gaia scolded with a light slap on his arm, "That's no way to speak to her… Though Kira, I think I have to agree with him to some extent. There's no need to rush things, sweetheart. After all, I haven't even had the chance to approve of you as his mother yet!"

As the two women shared a laugh, Riaku watched on with an unamused expression. It was only when Gaia continued to prod for information that he heard something interesting.

"So, then- how did you two meet?" She asked the white-haired girl before taking a sip of her own tea.

Kira's smile grew thoughtful. "Yesterday, actually. In the mountains to the southwest of here."

"You don't mean to say that you met during his hunt?"

Kira giggled. "That's exactly what I mean to say!"

Riaku eyed her with a little more interest. She knew about the hunt, which wasn't saying too much given how popular the topic was in town at the moment, though she also knew where the hunt took place- a detail that was a bit more obscure.

"So, what were you doing out in the mountains while a nasty tigrex was prowling about?"

Kira took a small sip before answering. "I come from a nomadic tribe, you see. We live in the mountains around here, and sometimes come into Pokke to trade, though we typically like to keep our distance from other people. I happened to be tending to something on the mountain when a terrible storm hit."

His eyebrows furrowed a bit more. Not only did she know where the fight had taken place, she also knew about the storm that happened at the time of the hunt. Not even the retrieval team had known about that.

"That sounds awful," Gaia said with a supportive hand on the girl's forearm, "What happened next?"

"The tigrex was taking the opportunity to hunt," Kira recalled, "It was killing everything caught in the storm, as they couldn't hear or see it coming. It killed a small herd of popo, though it didn't look like it would stop there… Luckily, that's when Riaku arrived."

She even knew about the popo? It was possible that the information regarding the herd had come secondhand, as the carcasses were still visible in the snow when they returned to pick up the tigrex, though he hadn't heard a word about that detail from any of the townspeople. Just who was this girl, and how was she so privy to the details of his hunt?

"Are you meaning to tell me that my Riaku saved you from the tigrex?" Gaia asked, connecting the dots.

The girl didn't answer verbally, instead letting her smile grow a bit below two eyes that narrowed ambiguously.

"That's wonderful!" Gaia exclaimed as she looked back and forth between them, "Now it all makes sense to me! Riaku is your knight in shining armor, and you were so impressed when he rescued you that you want to become his wife. How sweet!"

"Something like that," Kira replied as her cheeks began to lightly blush again, a sip of tea concealing her bashful smile.

The story was so well-told and heartfelt that even Riaku would have thought it true had he not known better. Her shy smiles and girlish giggling only seemed to make the exchange seem more genuine- however, once Gaia turned away to face Riaku, he noticed that Kira's smile would immediately vanish as she eyed him, only for the expression to return when she had Gaia's attention once more.

She was lying, and she was doing a really good job of it.

"Not that your visit hasn't been wonderful," Gaia began after a few more minutes of conversation, "But might I ask why you stopped by today? I'm sure you have more important things to do than chat with an old woman like me, after all."

Kira shook her head. "Not at all! It's been lovely talking with you, Gaia. You're right, though, I did come for a reason."

Her red eyes shifted to Riaku. "Elder Maria would like to speak with him regarding yesterday. I happened to be passing the Elder's residence when I was asked to fetch him for an audience."

"Oh, the ruling!" Gaia replied, "My, I certainly hope that they allow him to hunt here in Pokke… I know he broke the rules, but after killing such an impressive monster, I'm sure they'll make the right choice."

As she said the last part she patted Riaku's shoulder, who chuckled before turning for the door.

"I hope so," He answered before downing the remainder of his tea, "In that case I guess I'd better get going. I'll be back soon, Gaia!"

"Then, I'll go with you."

He paused in his walk toward the door to face Kira, who had also finished her tea. The white-haired girl thanked Gaia for her hospitality before catching up with Riaku and giving him a close-eyed smile.

"Shall we?"

Riaku looked back at Gaia one last time and saw the expectant smile on her face at seeing the two together.

"… Sure."

Kira hummed happily before wrapping her arm around his, an action that received two _very_ different reactions from Riaku and Gaia.

"Be safe, you lovebirds!" Riaku's adoptive mother called after them as they made their way outside. They made it past the gate and down the road a ways before Kira released his arm as suddenly as she had grabbed it.

"When is the last time you had a proper bath, Riaku?" She sighed.

"Gaia and I don't have a lot of money, if that wasn't obvious." He replied as a blue eye shifted to the girl that walked beside him, "Fetching water for baths is a lot of work, and soap is expensive. We have to be sparing with things like that."

"And who is it that just claimed a hefty amount of money from a quest that _he_ didn't even complete?" She shot back, "I'm sure you have enough left over for some basic hygiene products."

His teeth grit. "Instead of insulting me, how about you finally let me in on what's going on?"

"Whatever do you mean?"

"I mean," He began to clarify in a low voice, "I don't know who you are, how you got into my house, how you know about yesterday, or why you told Gaia that we're together. I think it's time you gave me some answers."

Her red eyes shifted to him above a small smile. "You'll understand everything soon enough."

He growled in annoyance. "No, I want to know _right now_."

By this point in the walk they were nearing the heart of Pokke, and as such were being surrounded by more and more people who were going about their days. At hearing his voice raise, quite a few turned to stare at the duo as they passed, causing his face to heat up a bit in embarrassment.

"I'd appreciate it if you kept your voice down," She replied in a low voice of her own, one that was sickeningly sweet in contrast to the contents of her words. "Or better yet, don't talk at all. I already said that you'd understand everything soon."

He opened his mouth to retort, but a threatening spark in her already fiery eyes made him reconsider. In the end he grumbled something to himself before following her advice and falling silent for the rest of the walk.

Before long they reached the Elder's residence, an ancient stone building near the Guild that predated any other structure in Pokke. Riaku had actually never been inside before, and made to open the colorful tarp that served as the front door as soon as he reached his destination. He couldn't do so, however, before the tarp opened from the other side, revealing the same middle-aged man that had accompanied the Elder to the center of the crowd yesterday- her assistant, the name of which Riaku could never remember, even as he had held his position as Maria's yes-man for as long as Riaku had lived here.

At seeing the teen, the man's eyes widened in surprise. "What a coincidence! Riaku Haidoji, I was just now sent to come and fetch you for an audience with the Elder."

Riaku's eyebrow cocked. "I thought you sent this girl to come and get me a while ago. I was actually worried that I had kept Elder Maria waiting for too long."

The man's eyes flickered from Riaku to his company and back before he shook his bald head.

"No, to my knowledge, no one was sent after you… As I mentioned, the Elder had only just now requested that I find you. Moreover, I've never met this young lady before- and I assure you, I wouldn't ask any stranger off the street to run an errand that the Elder asked me, specifically, to complete."

Riaku turned his confused gaze from the assistant to Kira, who watched on with mild amusement behind her otherwise stoic expression. Somehow she had predicted that the Elder would want to talk to him, and even managed to deliver him to the residence at the perfect time for his audience. Was it some wild coincidence that things had worked out this perfectly? Maybe so… Either that or this girl held even more secrets than he thought.

"Whatever the case, young mister Haidoji," The assistant continued while wiping his head with a handkerchief, "The Elder will see you inside, now. Unfortunately I must ask the young lady to wait here, as it's forbidden to enter the Elder's residence without a summons."

Riaku nearly sighed in relief at hearing that, given this girl's affinity for both getting on his nerves and completely amazing him.

"Right."

The man stepped aside, allowing Riaku to part the tarp and make his way into the building. What he found was a short, dimly lit hall lined with maps and illustrations from a variety of different time periods. At the end of the hall, Riaku was met with a square room with several doors lining its stone walls. Judging by the table in the center of the room- upon which were a familiar sword and shield- as well as the many packed bookshelves lit by hanging candles, Riaku guessed that this was a study of some sort.

The elder was currently on the other side of the table from Riaku, inspecting a line of books with her back to the entrance. It was only when his foot scuffed against the vintage rug placed in the center of the room that she turned toward him with a start.

"Ah, there you are!" She greeted in a friendly voice, "I didn't expect you so soon. That assistant of mine much be faster on his feet than I thought."

Riaku chuckled and rubbed the back of his head. "Something like that… So, what did you want me for again?"

"Oh, that," She answered while rounding the table to stand beside him, "It's nothing incredibly difficult, just a few questions that I had for you regarding recent events. I take it the town is still buzzing about that tigrex, eh?"

Riaku knew that this was a tense moment. His future as a hunter revolved around the Elder's ruling, and as such, any slip-up on his part might just cost him his livelihood in Pokke. Regardless, Maria was known for having a warm and comfortable presence about her, one that put him at ease despite the anxiety he felt regarding her decision.

"Yeah, you could say that."

She chuckled in her frail voice, her eyes rising with thought behind her spectacles. "I remember my first large kill… I must have been only ten years old when it happened. A khezu had holed up in one of the caves near here, and the final test of my hunter's exam was to slay it."

She paused to chuckle again. "Things were different in those days… No academy to speak of and no Guild to supply young monsters for the fledgling hunters to practice on. Regardless, I finished the job and got to parade my kill through the streets for all to see. It's a wonderful feeling, isn't it? To be the pride of the village for the first time… Yes, it's quite the experience."

Riaku smiled at recalling his victorious return yesterday and nodded in agreement. "It really is. Thank you, by the way, for… You know, standing up for me back there."

She raised a hand to wave him off. "I only did what was right, Riaku. Now then, while we're on the topic of yesterday's events, I was hoping you could clear a few things up for me."

"Sure, anything."

She hummed, her smile unwavering. "I had an autopsy performed on the tigrex after we parted ways yesterday. I hope you understand my reasoning for doing so- after all, I needed as much information as I could gather if I was to make a level ruling over your status as a hunter."

"Yeah, I understand." He replied with a nod, "So what did the autopsy find?"

"You see, that was the darnedest thing…" She answered, her eyes trailing to the sword and shield resting on the table, "Given your weapon at the time, I expected quite a few more lacerations- cuts, slashes, that sort of thing. What we found, however, was that a majority of the injuries were puncture wounds, as if it had been fought with a lance."

Riaku's heart skipped a beat. He recalled a sharp horn, standing tall atop a horselike head.

_She doesn't know anything about that. Just go along with it._

"Oh yeah, that," He replied after a moment, "I'm still kinda getting the hang of the sword, you know?"

He hoped that being vague would allow Maria to make her own assumptions, all the while keeping him from actually lying to the Elder.

"I see…" She answered, nodding her head, "Surely that would account for some of it. I'm afraid there's more to it than that, though… The researchers were baffled when they found burned tissue in a majority of the wounds. The muscles under the skin were nearly charred black along the puncture… Almost as though the tigrex had been struck with lightning."

Now Riaku was starting to sweat. He couldn't even formulate a halfway-decent response before the Elder reached over and pulled the sword out of its scabbard, holding the weapon up with more ease than he thought a woman her age could manage.

"See, Riaku, I'm very familiar with this type of sword. It's almost completely forged from iron- that is to say, it has no electric or fire element stored within it. Given that fact, it seems unlikely that _this_ sword caused those wounds, doesn't it?"

She paused to hum as she looked the sword up and down. "That's not the end of it, though. Riaku, would you mind looking this weapon over? Take a long gander and tell me if you notice anything."

Riaku swallowed nervously and eyed the sword, though he didn't see anything out of the ordinary. The edges were sharp, and the blade was almost in the same pristine condition that he had received it in.

"I'm not sure what you mean, Elder." He admitted after a long moment, "It looks completely normal to me."

She continued to smile at him with a long hum before tilting the blade so that its flat side was facing up, allowing Riaku to see the reflections of their faces in the metal, as if looking into a normal mirror aside from a couple light stains and scratches.

"You see, Riaku," She continued, her eyes looking into his own through the reflection, "There's hardly any blood at all on this blade."

His eyes widened- now he understood what this was about. He had given her the blade directly after the hunt, and yet there was no fresh blood to be found on it. Of course he knew that it was because he never landed a hit on the tigrex, and it was beginning to seem that she suspected the same.

"So, I'm sure you understand why I've called you here this morning." She said as she lifted her face to look into his eyes properly, "I would like to know what really happened on that mountain, Riaku. It would be wise to stop dancing around the truth and come clean now."

He frantically searched his mind for an answer, an alibi, an excuse- _anything_ that would help him out of this situation. It was true that he hadn't killed that tigrex, though he had gone with the full intention of doing so. He had worked hard for this second chance, and now it seemed as though it was hanging by its last thread. The silence seemed to stretch on forever as Riaku stared into the kind eyes of Elder Maria, who waited patiently for a response. Unfortunately, he simply couldn't come up with anything to tell her. Nothing that was believable, anyway- and so he came to the somber realization that he would have to tell the truth.

He sighed, averting his eyes from her own as he opened his mouth to respond.

"I'm sorry, Elder… The truth is, I-"

"- _He_ didn't kill that tigrex."

Both Riaku and Maria looked to the hall, through which a white-haired girl in peculiar armor was making her way inside, a fretting middle-aged man on her heels.

"M-Miss, please! You aren't allowed inside unless summoned!"

"No," Elder Maria interjected, her eyes carefully assessing Kira. "Let her join us. I believe she just said something very interesting."

The assistant looked from the Elder's face to Kira before bowing and making his way back outside. Once he had gone and Kira had taken to standing before the two, Elder Maria spoke up again.

"I've not seen you before," She said in a slow voice, "What is your name?"

"You may call me Kira."

The Elder paused for a moment before nodding. "Kira… Very well. May I ask you to repeat what you said just now?"

"I said that Riaku didn't kill the tigrex." The girl answered simply, as if it was common knowledge- which, Riaku conceded, was becoming more and more probable given the mountain of evidence stacked against him.

"That's what I thought I heard," The elder replied, "Though there is unmistakably a dead tigrex in this village… So, then, if Riaku didn't slay it, then how did we end up here?"

Kira's red eyes flashed ambiguously. "That's simple. _I_ killed it for him."

Riaku's eyes nearly bulged out of his head while the smile melted from Maria's face. A long moment passed in which the room was completely silent before the Elder replied.

" _You_ killed that monster?"

Kira nodded.

The Elder chuckled, though it was somehow different from when she had been talking with Riaku. It was drier and nearly sarcastic.

"May I ask how you achieved such a feat? I see no thunder-endowed weapon on you, either."

Kira's eyes narrowed. "I don't have need for such a weapon."

The staring match that ensued between the two women was of legendary proportions. Riaku suddenly felt as though the conversation had nothing to do with him, despite the fact that this meeting was organized for his fate in the first place. Finally the Elder's eyes fell from Kira's own to favor the colorful outfit that the newcomer wore.

"That's an interesting ensemble… It shares a lot in common with traditional Pokke armor." When Kira didn't respond after a long moment, Maria continued. "In the early days of this settlement, the amount of decoration on a Mafumofu set indicated the number of achievements its wearer had amassed. Might I ask how you obtained it?"

Kira eyed her for a moment before answering. "You already know the answer to that question... Don't you, Elder?"

Maria's eyes lowered to the sword in her hands, tracing the blade's edge before shifting to Riaku's arm. What happened next was as lightning-fast as it was unexpected.

The sword gleamed as it was driven toward Riaku's forearm at a speed that made it nearly undetectable. Before it could connect with the arm of his coat, however, there was a flash of bright light and a sharp _crack_. The sword was sent spinning through the air before colliding with a nearby wall and falling to the floor with a metallic rattle.

All of this happened in the blink of an eye, Riaku's mind not even detecting Elder Maria's attack before the sword had hit the floor.

"W-What the hell?" He shouted once the moment had caught up to him, looking between the two women who stared at each other with very different expressions.

Kira looked at the Elder with a hint of amusement behind her red eyes, her hand still extended toward where the sword had been just a moment prior. Elder Maria, on the other hand, stared at the girl with widened eyes and a face devoid of color. After a moment had passed, the Elder lowered herself onto one knee and bowed her head.

"Lady Kirin! You've finally returned!"

Riaku's jaw slacked. An Elder prostrating themselves before another while in their own settlement was unheard of, and had certainly never happened in Pokke for as long as Riaku had been there. Also, had the Elder just referred to Kira as 'Lady Kirin'? What was going on?

"Kneel, boy!" Maria hissed in voice so serious that he doubted it was her own. The command was so firm that Riaku had done as he was told before getting the chance to question it.

With the two bowed before her, Kira's lips finally upturned in a small smile. "You may rise, Maria. Riaku, though… You can stay there a while longer, as punishment for speaking to me so crudely this morning."

He glared up at her momentarily before turning to Elder Maria. "Can you please explain what just happened? I know it can't be true, but… It almost looked like you were trying to attack me for a moment there."

"Yes and no." Kira replied rather than the Elder, "True, she swung a sword at you- but it was only a test to confirm her suspicions. I highly doubt she would have actually struck you with the blade had I not intervened."

Elder Maria laughed harder than Riaku had ever heard, a giddiness in her voice that made her seem like a child rather than an ancient woman.

"You intervened, you most certainly did!" She cried as she hopped about as quickly as her frail body would allow, though she suddenly paused with a gasp as some unspoken realization hit her. "You… Protected this boy? After all these years… You return for this? It can't be… Is _he_..?"

Her spectacled eyes trailed toward Riaku, who was still kneeling with a bewildered look on his face.

"Yes, he is." Kira replied more cryptically than the young man would have liked.

"No… Then, the prophesy..?" Maria trailed off as her wrinkled hands rose to cover her mouth.

The smile on Kira's face vanished as she gave a curt nod.

"Oh, my…" Maria murmured, her eyes lowered but flicking about with thought, "This soon? You're sure? I knew that someday, but not within _my_ reign… Never had I once- oh, dear…"

"Can someone _please_ tell me what is going on?" He asked, his eyes flickering between the two with an expression that fell somewhere between pleading and anger, "Why did the Elder call you 'Lady Kirin' instead of Kira? What did you mean when you said _you_ killed the tigrex? What is this prophesy, and why am I still bowing to some random girl?"

"Quiet, boy!" The Elder scolded with a swift smack to the back of his head, "You have no idea who you're speaking to right now!"

" _Exactly_!" He shot back.

To his surprise, Kira chuckled at his answer before smiling down at him. "You want answers, Riaku?"

He nodded his head vigorously.

She hummed. "Very well. Time is of the essence, after all… We'll explain everything to you- _after_ you've apologized to me."

"Apologize?" He echoed in disbelief, "Apologize for _what_?"

Her fiery eyes narrowed at him dangerously. "For referring to your elder as 'some random girl'."

' _Elder'? But she looks like she's the same age as me…_

He was inclined to argue with her, but could already see which path that would end up leading him down- it was a long one full of more bowing and smacks to the head. Given that cooperating seemed like the quickest way to avoid that fate, as well as understand what was happening, he submitted.

"Fine. I'm sorry for saying you were 'some random girl'." He muttered, "Now can I please stand up?"

She hummed thoughtfully before shrugging. "Very well."

As soon as the last word left her lips, he was up and eyeing the two women expectantly. "Alright, now _please_ let me in on what's going on."

"Oh, where to even begin..?" Elder Maria whispered as she brought a hand to her forehead, "There's so much to cover… Perhaps the statue would be a good place to start?"

"Statue?" He echoed.

"Ah, so you've kept it after all." Kira mused, "I'm curious to see how it's held up after all these years."

Riaku shot her another amazed look, though he couldn't wonder how many years this young- emphasis on _young_ \- woman had been around before Elder Maria spoke up.

"It's in wonderous condition! Riaku… I know this may seem strange, but there's a book at the top-right of that shelf," She pointed at a bookshelf, the rightmost of three behind the table, "It's blue, with red text on the binding. Please push that book forward. I would do it myself, but these days I'm a bit… Vertically challenged, as they call it."

The request was outlandish, sure, but compared to everything else that had happened since Kira showed up, pushing a book seemed totally mundane. Even as the book clicked in his hand, causing the center bookshelf to become ajar, Riaku was more interested in being brought up to speed than the fact that the resident Elder literally had a hidden passage installed behind a bookshelf in her study.

With a little work, Riaku was able to pull the bookshelf open as if it were a door. The result was a narrow passage that outlet into a large circular room, well-lit thanks to a sturdy skylight in the high ceiling. Scrolls and books even more ancient than those in the previous room lined the walls, each with their own stone pedestal. Drawn portraits of countless men and women hung around the room as well… Though none of these details were what really caught his attention.

After all, it was hard for anything to top the large statue that protruded from the very center of the room. The statue depicted two monsters that were locked in an intense battle; near the bottom, a tigrex carved from some sort of black stone was looking up with a wide mouth and furious eyes. The other monster, carved from some white material resembling light crystal, was even more interesting to the young hunter… After all, that same monster had saved his life just yesterday.

The horselike dragon had its front feet raised and head lowered, as if it were about to drive the tip of its wicked horn into the tigrex below. Small gems similar to rubies formed its eyes, and something resembling machelite made up the horn.

Riaku walked up to the statue in awe, noting that every scale and tuft of fur was carefully engraved… Expensive materials aside, this piece of art had been painstakingly crafted. The scene looked fluid and realistic, as if the two bodies would resume their battle at any moment for all to see. It left him speechless.

"Riaku, this is the hidden treasure of Pokke Village… And a testament to a long-forgotten piece of our history."

He finally pried his eyes from the statue and turned to face Maria. "If it's a part of our history, then why do you hide it away back here? Everyone should see something this amazing."

She smiled at him sadly. "I often think the same… Though the answer to that question is the perfect place to begin our explanation."

Her eyes trailed from his own to the statue. She looked it over for a moment before she began to tell him a story, so carefully rehearsed that each word seemed as natural to her as breathing itself.

"Long, long ago, a large family left the established human settlements to the south in search of a new beginning. Taxation in their old home had been terribly high, and as this family were little more than humble farmers and tradesmen, they struggled to make ends meet."

She paused to extend her arms in opposite directions, looking back and forth between the portraits lining the walls.

"They fled the safety of civilization in the hopes of creating a new settlement in which they could prosper. Before long they found the perfect place to develop- an area where the game was plentiful and the nearby mountains provided protection from external forces. They favored the place, and named it Pokke."

A smile tugged at her lips as Riaku and Kira listened silently, though this tale was only new to one of them.

"It was a promising beginning," She continued, "And they built several buildings without issue- one of which you stand in today. However, after many moons had passed, a great danger threatened the budding village."

"A danger?" Riaku finally asked, "What kind of danger?"

Maria hummed, then nodded at the monster carved from black stone. "A great wyvern, one with incredible strength and a bottomless appetite, had decided to capitalize on their lack of numbers. It returned time and time again, slaughtering their stock and destroying their borders as if they were made of straw. Some tried to kill the beast, though it swatted them away without issue."

"That's terrible…" He murmured, his thoughts flashing back to his fight with the tigrex yesterday. He could only imagine what it would be like to have a monster like that target your village, especially without having a Guild around to assist in the matter.

Maria nodded. "It seemed that they would have to return to whence they came. They would have to start over, and it would be a terrible financial blow, but they would at least keep their lives."

"But they didn't flee, right?" He asked, "I mean, we're obviously still here."

"Precisely." She answered, "And that was thanks to the leader of the group- one of my earliest ancestors. He refused to give up hope, which likely would have been their downfall had he not been dealt a hand of good luck."

Her eyes shifted from the tigrex to the other monster, the one carved from crystal. "One day he left the village to meditate on a nearby mountain. He climbed to the peak, upon which he fell to his knees and prayed for help with tears in his eyes. There was a flash of white light, and when he looked up, he found a young woman standing over him, cloaked in lightning itself."

She paused to chuckle. "He thought her an angel sent from the heavens to help him."

To Riaku's surprise, Kira smiled at hearing that part of the story before continuing in the Elder's stead. "He looked at her and begged for her help, pledging his settlement to her if only she would vanquish his enemy. The girl took pity on him, and agreed to drive the wyvern away."

For a moment he was confused as to why this girl knew a story that even _he_ had never heard. Regardless, he remained quiet as she continued.

"The girl morphed into an ancient dragon of electricity, so powerful and rarely seen that people thought it a myth. Using this form, she fought the wyvern for several days as the villagers looked on in fear and awe." Her red eyes closed, and she let out a light sigh before continuing. "Finally… After a grueling battle, the girl was victorious. The wyvern flew away, refusing to return so long as the village was under the girl's protection."

"Wait… She turned into a monster?" He asked while scratching his head, "Isn't that a little unrealistic? I mean, I've never heard of something like that happening before."

The two women shared a knowing glance before Maria cleared her voice and continued the story. "The battle was won, but at a terrible cost. The girl was badly injured, and a majority of the settlement had been destroyed in the fight. Regardless, the villagers devoted themselves to caring for her. Half of the residents saw to her needs, while the remainder got to work on a great statue that would immortalize her deed. She recovered roughly around the time that the statue had been completed, and while she was flattered at their gesture, she made a request."

"The request," Kira continued, "Was that the statue and story of the battle be kept in secret, only to be passed down from Pokke's Elders to their children."

Riaku furrowed his brow in thought. "But why would she do that? After all, she saved their village- so why would she reduce her own glory by keeping the story a secret? It doesn't make any sense."

Maria shook her head. "The girl's wishes weren't unfounded, Riaku. You see, she had taken a liking to Pokke and its people, and vowed that she would watch over the settlement to keep them all safe from the tigrex. However, knowing that she would have to remain near to do so, she feared that outsiders would learn of the tale and seek her strength- or her very life- for themselves. To prevent that from happening, she restricted this tale to the Elders, leaving both her strength and location a mystery to the outside world. To this day, very few know of that tale, and even fewer have seen this statue."

"Wow…" Riaku breathed, pausing to look the object over once more. "I guess that leaves me with two questions… First, why would she want the story to be passed down if it wasn't safe? If she was so set on keeping the secret, then wouldn't it be better if everyone forgot what she had done?"

Kira shook her head, her arms crossing. "That's no good. It's important to understand your history if you are to forge a better future. The girl insisted that the Elders proliferate an interest in their past, as well as mythological accounts and prophesies. This way they would be prepared to lead their settlement should anything of historic significance occur."

"So she wanted them to be prepared for anything, then…" He murmured as he scratched his chin with thought, "I guess I can understand that. My next question is… Well, you just said that hardly anyone knows about this stuff, right? So… Why are you telling _me_ of all people?"

Kira and Maria exchanged looks again before the Pokke Elder sighed. "Each member of my bloodline must know this prophesy to the word, just in case its events unfold during their time… In just a few more years I was going to begin teaching it to Mikuna, though now it would seem that this burden falls on me. It's an honor to do this… Though one with incredible weight."

She paused to walk up to the statue, extending a finger toward the white horselike dragon.

"Riaku…" She began in a solemn tone, "Be honest with me. You recognized this monster even before I told you that story, did you not?"

As two pairs of eyes shifted toward him, his kneejerk reaction was to deny the fact and stick to the narrative that he had killed the tigrex himself. However, after his talk with Elder Maria earlier, he was painfully aware that she was already on the heels of the truth, assuming she hadn't already pieced the full story together. Given the circumstances, his shoulders slumped as he avoided their collective gaze.

"Yes… That's the monster that saved me from the tigrex yesterday."

The words hurt to say, as he was sure they were the nail in the coffin of his prestige within the village, though there was also quite a bit of relief at finally getting the truth off his chest. To his surprise, however, neither of the women seemed staggered in the slightest at his admission.

"I see… And do you know what this monster is called, Riaku?" She continued within a beat.

"No, I've never heard of it before." He replied while embarrassedly rubbing the back of his neck, "What is it?"

Elder Maria's eyes lowered as she turned to completely face him. Then, with a small voice she answered.

"It's a kirin, Riaku." She raised her arm to gesture at Kira. "To be specific… It's a statue of _Lady Kirin_."

His widening blue eyes shot away from Maria's own to favor Kira, only to find her own bright red eyes looking back. He stared at her for a long moment before shaking his head in disbelief. That one sentence made him question everything he had just heard.

"You're kidding me, right? Is this a prank?" His eyes shot back to Maria for validation of his theory, though her wrinkled face showed no signs of amusement. "You're trying to tell me that _this_ girl saved our village in the old days? That _she_ can transform into a monster like _that_?"

After a moment passed with no response, he began to feel as though he was being played for a fool. He chuffed sarcastically before continuing in a tone that he would normally never use in the presence of his Elder.

"I think I know what's going on here… You found out that I omitted the truth about yesterday, and now you're getting back at me. Is that it? You found some girl who looks just like that _thing_ did, and now you're telling me some fairy tale about people who can turn into monsters?" He paused for another moment, but went on when the only reply was more silence. "Look, I'm sorry that I lied, okay? It was wrong. I _know_ that… But please understand, I did what I had to do- not just for me, but for Gaia, you know? For-"

"-Riaku." Maria cut him off in a stern voice, her old eyes raising from the floor to meet his own. "This is no laughing matter. Do you honestly believe that I would have this statue erected just to teach you a lesson? This is much, _much_ bigger than your fib about killing that tigrex. Stop being so childish this instant, and you'd do well to stop insulting the protector of our village."

He was still having a hard time buying what he was being told, though she made a good point- why would a statue this magnificent be hidden away in a secret room unless there was at least some validity to what she was saying? Given that he had no good answer to that question, and that he was given a direct order from his Elder, he bit his tongue.

"Believe me or don't, the fact remains that this girl- Kira, if you will- is the same Lady Kirin that protected us from that tigrex." She continued in the same scolding tone, "And accepting that knowledge is _pertinent_ to understanding the prophesy."

"Wait a moment," Kira suddenly spoke, extending a halting hand in Maria's direction as her fiery eyes turned on Riaku. "He has a right to be skeptical… After all, very few people remember the ancient mythos that shape our world today. I think we should smooth those details out before we continue. So then, Riaku… What questions do you have regarding what Maria just told you?"

He eyed her for a long moment before deciding to play along. Maybe he could stump her with a question that they hadn't accounted for, blowing the lid off their whole trick.

"How can a human turn into a monster?" He asked, getting the obvious out of the way first. "That seems impossible."

"The answer to that question predates human history," She answered immediately, "As a matter of fact, I'm neither human nor monster… I'm an Origin Monster, the first of the living creatures to be placed on this planet."

_They really thought this through, didn't they? Let's see just how deep this well goes._

"Okay, then. What's an Origin Monster?"

Kira's eyes rose thoughtfully. "That's a very good question, and there's no simple answer to it. I'm afraid you'd have trouble comprehending it even if I told you."

"Try me."

Her eyes narrowed at his cutting tone. "Very well. When the Great Force created this planet, It also created one of each type of monster you see around you today, as well as many others who have long since gone extinct. These monsters lived alone in the days that the Earth was forming, their very existence a 'test', if you will, of how their species would affect the planet in greater numbers. Going off their strengths, weaknesses, and synergies with one another, the Great Force decided their initial numbers, gestation periods, offspring yields, longevity, and susceptibilities."

As she continued to speak without a stutter or pause, Riaku regretted calling her bluff. This girl had come prepared, and it was all he could manage just to pick further questions out of her explanation.

"These Origin Monsters, as we were once widely known, were compensated for the countless years they spent wandering the Earth alone by being given certain gifts… The first being natural immortality, followed by a higher level of consciousness from the monsters created after them, and, once humanoid races were eventually brought into the picture, the ability to take on a human form."

That was a _lot_ of information to take in. Just how much had they thought this stuff through?

"So this Great Force thing… It's like a god?" He asked after a moment of thought, "And it rewarded you for living alone on a still-forming planet by making you immortal… And also smarter than other monsters? And that part about the humanoids makes absolutely no sense."

She smirked at his abrasive wording, her eyes glinting dangerously. "Think of the Great Force as you will, whether it be a god or an embodiment of the universe's battle for organized meaning, though I have lived on this planet since its conception and have yet to put a personality or voice to the name. As far as I can tell, the Great Force cares not for being benevolent nor malevolent, and couldn't care less if its creation follows or believes in it at all. It simply wants what it makes to work, and as such saw fit to create forerunners for all monster species currently in existence- the Origin Monsters, in case you've already forgotten."

Riaku's teeth grit at the insult, though he couldn't reply as she continued to talk.

"And mind you, I said _naturally_ immortal- meaning that we can be killed, but don't age in the sense that all other living things do. As far as I can tell, we're caught in a stasis comprised of our most resilient age, and as such are all but immune to sickness as well. Also, I said that we had a higher level of consciousness, not that we we're 'smarter'. If it makes it easier for you to understand, we more or less think as humans do, while the monsters created after us are more like animals in relation. Our power, agelessness, and wit made us nearly indestructible… Until the Great Force designed an intermediary."

"Intermediary?" Riaku echoed.

Kira nodded. "Humanoids were created to manage the numbers of all other life. They generally weren't even as strong as the weakest monsters, though they shared the same perception that us Origins benefit from. They were capable of diverse emotions, detailed speech, and could industrially evolve at an astounding speed. They also reproduced very quickly, making them a threat to all monsters- even the Origins. As one last helpful trait to help us Origin Monsters survive against the humans who would sooner kill a threat than look at it, the Great Force endowed each of us with a human form, with which we could do as we pleased."

Riaku opened his mouth to retort, but closed it after a moment passed in which he couldn't formulate a counter. He bit his cheek as he ran through what she said once more… It was a farfetched idea, though he had to admit that it was a very detailed one. At the very least, these two deserved points for creativity.

"I take it you have no further questions, then?" Kira asked after the two had stared at each other in silence for a while.

"Not at the moment," He replied while still trying to think of a question that would trip them up.

Kira hummed, then turned to Maria. "You may continue with the prophesy, if you'd please."

Elder Maria, who had been listening to the two carefully until this point, nodded and waved them after her as she rounded the statue. Riaku and Kira followed until the three stood before a carefully carved stone pedestal, upon which was a yellowed scroll, faded and tattered with time. Not that its condition mattered much, as Riaku couldn't recognize the writing on it as any language he had ever come across.

"This scroll was transcribed after an ancient elven prophesy," Maria went on as the three continued to look it over, "This particular subset of elves were once taken very seriously, as they had all but mastered the secrets to astronomy and were strikingly credible with their findings. This prophesy, however, lost validity after thousands of years passed without its fulfilment. Many of its previous believers discarded its viability, and with enough time, it was all but forgotten. Very few places have engraved it into their memories and passed it down through generations… I'm proud to say that Pokke, under Lady Kirin's advice, has remained one of these few places."

Riaku shot a look at Kira from the corner of his eye before furrowing his brow and looking back at the scroll.

"So, what does it say, then?" He asked, "Can you really read that?"

Maria chuckled but shook her head. "Unfortunately, no. As silly as it sounds, this was transcribed in a very early language, and as passing the contents down verbally has become a treasured tradition, we've yet to make a local adaptation… Whatever the case, this is what it says once translated…"

She cleared her throat, then carefully recited the text in an almost poetic fashion, complete with small pauses and a consistent flow to her words.

_To the world's sense of balance_

_Its killers and shepherds_

_The line between chaos and order_

_A great danger looms_

_An ancient tempest_

_Strong in number as in might_

_Will rise against the small_

_With righteous indignation_

_And Earth will return to its feral state_

_Only one child, a miracle itself_

_Will resonate with the strength before it_

_And unite those who share in being_

_With what they've sworn to destroy_

_Shall they prevail, a new order shall rise_

_Shall they perish, so will their kind_

_And left unbalanced, so will fall_

_The world they left behind_

The room was silent in the wake of Maria's voice. Unlike the previous conversation regarding Origin Monsters and some Great Force, Riaku had no problem with accepting this as legitimate. After all, prophesies were nothing new, and the elves were known throughout history for being very prometheatic. The problem was that he had a hard time figuring out what the prophesy was trying to say, which was made all the more infuriating by the earlier implications that he was somehow tied to it.

"So… What does it mean?" He unceremoniously asked after a long moment had gone by.

Elder Maria hummed before answering. "It's believed that the beginning- all that talk about the world's sense of balance, the lines between chaos and order- is in reference to humanity. Soon after, it mentions a great evil, a tempest that will rise against the small… And while the identity of this 'evil' is vague, it seems to most that this refers to the Origin Monsters, whose strength could indeed threaten the humanoid races. If this is true, and this group of Origin Monsters were to succeed in their ambitions, then the world will fall to calamity without its core governing force."

"That's pretty morose, isn't it?" Riaku thought aloud.

Elder Maria nodded. "Yes, but if this prophesy is to be true, then there is also a beacon of hope for us; a child, a miracle itself, that will somehow resonate with this evil force and unite a resistance against it."

"Okay… So how exactly do _I_ fit into any of this?"

For the umpteenth time since they met, the two women exchanged looks before turning to face the teen.

"Riaku…" Kira began in a soft voice, " _You_ _are_ the child it mentions. You alone are the only hope for humanity's survival against this great threat."

Despite the dead seriousness shared between his company, Riaku couldn't help but laugh aloud at hearing that.

" _Me_?" He asked doubtfully, "How do you figure that?"

"Among other things, I can sense it. You have incredible power lying dormant within you."

"'Incredible power'?" He aksed sarcastically before holding his palms against his chest, "I couldn't even kill a kut-ku at my hunter's exam, and nearly died fighting a bulldrome the same day! I had to _lie_ about killing a tigrex just so that people would take me seriously! What's so 'powerful' about _that_?"

"Riaku!" Elder Maria snapped, but couldn't continue as Kira held a hand out to stop her.

"I said among other things, didn't I?" She asked rhetorically, "For your sake I didn't want to go into those details, but if you insist on being difficult, then I really will tell you."

"Please do." He answered with crossed arms, "Why don't you enlighten me?"

Kira eyed him for a long moment, a conflicted expression on her face for the first time since Riaku had met her.

"Before I get into that, I need to talk more about the prophesy," She said, nodding at the scroll before continuing. "I've spent many years meditating on its legitimacy and collecting any information that relates to it. With that knowledge, I've concluded that its predictions are not only possible but highly probable, and that this specific threat that it mentions is very likely to be the Ancient Council."

While Riaku was immediately lost, Maria stifled a surprised gasp with both hands as her eyes grew wide.

"No… Forgive me, Lady Kirin, but are you absolutely sure of that?"

Kira gave her a small nod. The Elder stared at the white-haired girl for another moment before lowering her eyes to the floor, seeming to fall into deep thought.

"Wait, what's the Ancient Council?" Riaku asked as the Elder's terrified- and very convincing- reaction began to unnerve him. As Maria was known to be a friendly and warm person, it was rare to see her even frown- let alone make an expression like _this_.

"When the humanoid races joined us on the Earth, a large group of Origin Monsters created a council to handle matters like diplomacy and regulation," Kira began to explain, "Naturally, not every Origin Monster follows these rulings… Though all who adhere to the Council are rewarded with protection under its impressive bulk. Among its top members are Origin versions of the strongest monsters you can imagine, which is in keeping with the prophesy's description."

Maria seemed to break free from her thoughts and spoke up again. "I'm sure you have good reason to make such a claim, Lady Kirin… Though, may I ask why you think that the Council, of all things, is involved in this? After all, from what I understand, the Council has historically been very laissez-faire in human matters… And surely they're familiar with the end of the prophesy, in which it's said that the Earth will collapse without the humanoid races governing it."

"Of course," Kira replied with another nod, "As you may or may not know, I was once on the Council myself. I defected once the structure's emphasis became very… Anti-human, if you will. I've kept a close eye on them in my absence, though, and have been made aware of the ideas that they're perpetuating. They abhor humans and the like for stealing land away from them. There is a growing consensus that the Earth was better off before the humanoids appeared, and some of the high members have even proposed an all-out genocide. The way things are looking, it won't be long before they begin to put these ideas into action… And given the Council's current strength, they could exterminate all other higher-thinking groups without suffering much loss at all in return."

"My goodness…" Maria breathed, her face paling again.

Kira nodded. "In regard to your last point; yes, they're very familiar with the end of the prophesy. They simply don't believe it… Origin Monsters have a tendency to be very proud, after all, and really, why wouldn't we be? We're generally very powerful, wise, and being timeless doesn't help to moderate ego either. That strong sense of elitism led the Council to believe that they could manage all aspects of the world without the humanoids' help, even taking the Origins' fewer numbers into account. Once that was decided, it was also thought that the prophesy's ending- regarding the unbalance of the world leading to calamity- was falsely inserted as a way to discourage the Origins from attacking humanity… A tactic that, until very recently, has worked. The Origins have stayed out of the way, though the seeds of discontent among them are beginning to sprout into hatred."

"But wait," Riaku chimed in, "This is all theoretical, right? Look… I don't know about all this Ancient Council business, but there's no telling if that prophesy is even going to come true in the first place. Even if it did, I still don't see how _I'm_ supposed to fit into it. If this council is really filled with all these ancient monsters of unbelievable strength, then there's no way that some ordinary human could stand a chance against them."

"You're right," Kira answered after a second, "A normal human would be helpless to stop something as great as the Council…"

"Exactly!"

"… But _you're_ not human."

Kira had said a lot of outlandish things since Riaku had met her, though this one threatened to take the cake.

"Of course I'm human," He replied after staring at her like she was crazy for a long moment, "I've _always_ been a human- my mom was a human, my dad was a human, so why wouldn't _I_ be a human?"

That conflicted expression returned to her face, as if she was having an argument in her head, before she sighed as if conceding to something.

"Very well. Riaku, what do you know of your father?"

"My dad?" He asked, scratching his chin as he thought back to the vague memories of his early life. "Not much, I guess. He was a hunter, and I kind of remember what he looked like, but I was really young when he… Well, he died when my village was destroyed."

"I see…" She murmured while watching him carefully, "And have you ever pondered _why_ your village was destroyed?"

"Of course not," He replied with more anger in his voice than even _he_ had intended, "Some monster attacked us and we weren't ready for it. That's all there was to it."

"Are you sure about that?"

"Yes!"

She hummed before turning to idly inspect the statue rather than maintain eye contact with him.

"What if I told you… That it wasn't some random instance of a rampaging monster?" Her red eyes swept back to meet his own. "What if I told you that it was a coordinated attack?"

It took every last bit of Riaku's self-control not to blow up at hearing that. This girl had broken into his house, lied to Gaia, insulted and embarrassed him, and wasted way too much of his time talking about imaginary shapeshifters and gods… And yet, hearing her talk as though she knew a single damned thing about his village nearly sent him over the edge.

"How _dare_ you?" He hissed with the darkest glare he could muster, "How dare you stand there and tell me things about my village, as if you had a single clue in hell what happened back then? You don't have the slightest-"

"-Crimson fatalis." She suddenly said, temporarily diverting his anger into confusion.

"Wha- What did you just say?"

"Crimson fatalis," She repeated, "That's the name of the monster that destroyed your home. It probably attacked by shooting fire from its mouth as it hovered overhead with its giant wings. It would have looked very dark and slender, with two fiery glowing eyes. Does that sound about right?"

He thought back to his earliest memory, to the scene that played in all of his nightmares. When he remembered the monster that had caused the destruction, it fit her description perfectly.

_Crimson fatalis..? I've never heard of that monster. I'll have to read up on it later._

"… It does." He answered, still shooting her daggers with his eyes.

"The village you were born in was similar to Pokke in that it was a settlement based in tradition." She mused as her eyes wandered about the room, "Its people took prophesies and mythology very seriously, which makes what I'd like to tell you all the more important. I was in the Council at the time of the tragedy, even as I was beginning to distance myself, and know why your village was attacked… It's because an Origin Monster somehow impregnated a human woman, fulfilling the prophesy's mention of a 'miracle child'."

She paused to make eye contact with him once again. "They wanted to destroy it as a preemptive measure against the one thing that could stand against their plan… It wasn't your village they were after, it was _you_. Would you like to know more?"

He seriously considered whether or not to hear her out for a moment, but in the end her knowledge of one monster's name, which may or may not have even been real, wasn't enough to convince him to stay. He had heard this girl go on about nonsense for long enough, and wasn't about to listen to her talk about his own past as though she at all knew what she was talking about.

"No." He answered bluntly before abruptly turning for the door.

"Riaku!" Elder Maria scolded, though Kira only tilted her head at him thoughtfully as he began to walk away.

"I'm sorry, Elder," He began as he passed the statue, "You two can talk about myths and conspiracies all you want, but I don't believe a word of it. A monster is a monster, and a human is a human. I'm not about to listen to some girl I've never even met _lie_ _to me_ about my own village in some crazy attempt to convince me that I'm something I'm not."

He finally turned his head to look at them as he paused in the doorway, his eyebrows furrowed above two hurt blue eyes. "I'll return what's left of the tigrex reward money to the Guild later- after all, that's what all of this is about in the first place. Isn't it?"

With that he left the room, not even slowing as Elder Maria called after him in a furious tone. At first the old woman made to go after him, though she stopped as Kira held out her arm with a shake of her head.

"But Lady Kirin, he's-"

"You can't force a horse to drink," Kira replied, shooting the elder a grateful smile. "Thank you for helping me explain things to him. I'll handle the rest from here."

The Elder eyed her uncertainly for a moment, but reluctantly nodded in the end. "Is there anything at all I can do?"

"Actually, yes." Kira replied as her red eyes narrowed, "I was hoping you'd ask."

* * *

Riaku stormed out of Pokke's main gates and down the hill. Once there he turned for the nearest mountain, not even really caring where he was going. He had way too much to think about right now, and none of it left a good feeling in his stomach.

The Great Force, Origin Monsters, the Ancient Council- not to mention prophesies about the end of humanity, in which _he_ of all people was supposed to be some legendary hero, some _miracle child_ who wasn't completely human.

_It's all a load of crap._

He growled and kicked a stray rock as hard as he could, sending it skidding over the dirt path until it collided with the trunk of a tree. The most annoying part of the whole ordeal wasn't even the conversation itself… It was the evidence that there was some truth buried under all that absurdity. From the hidden room concealing a historic statue to the look of utter horror on Elder Maria's face when she heard mention of the Ancient Council, there were details here and there that hinted at something big going on.

_Yeah, right._

It hurt to think that he actually thought he was special for a moment. When Kira had first knocked that sword from the Elder's hand with that weird party trick of hers, the following conversation caught him up in this idea that he really _was_ part of some prophesy… Some predetermined fate that he would be a great hero despite his rocky beginnings. Had the buck stopped there, they might have tricked him… But all that talk about humans that can turn into monsters totally alienated him from whatever they were trying to accomplish.

"It's impossible," He muttered as he cut a left from the path, leading him into a grassy field between the banks of a large lake and the foot of a snowy mountain, "Why would they even waste my time with that nonsense?"

"Because it's _not_ nonsense."

The momentary surprise that Riaku felt toward the voice behind him was quickly replaced with annoyance.

"Stop following me, Kira." He said in a warning tone as he began to walk a bit quicker, "If that's even your name at all."

"I cannot. You're far too important for me to let you walk away."

His fists clenched as tight as his teeth did. "Would you knock it off, already? I'm not buying it! There's nothing you could possibly say to convince me that any of that stuff back there is real."

To his surprise she fell quiet for a moment as he walked, though it was a short-lived silence.

"You're right," She conceded in a thoughtful voice, "I can see now that words alone aren't enough to convince you."

"Exactly."

"So, how about physical proof instead?"

That at least got him to stop, though he still didn't turn to face her.

"Proof?" He asked, partially in disbelief and partially in some faint, forlorn hope, "What kind of proof could you possibly have?"

"Face me and I'll show you, Riaku."

He stood still for a long moment, wondering why he was even considering playing along any further than he already had- though in the end he couldn't keep his curiosity at bay. At least, he figured, if this "proof" of hers wasn't anything definitive, he could completely dismiss everything he had just heard.

"Fine," He sighed as he turned around, "What do you-"

His eyes went wide, and jaw fell slack. Mere feet away from him stood a beast that he had only seen twice before- once in person and once as part of a hidden statue. It looked down at him with deep red eyes, its face covered in bristling white fur and light blue scales under a large glowing horn.

A kirin.

He fell backwards in shock, though he didn't grimace in pain as his back met the dirt below… Instead he just continued to stare at the horselike dragon that looked down at him.

' _Riaku_ ,' Kira's voice sounded in his head while the kirin's familiar red eyes narrowed, ' _Is_ _ **this**_ _enough to convince you?'_

He continued to gawk at it for a long moment before swallowing hard and nodding in response. At seeing his answer, the kirin's already light body grew bright white, the difference between its scales and fur becoming obscured by the light it seemed to emanate until only its red eyes stood out. Riaku hadn't thought that he could be more amazed in that moment, though as the shape of the white form in front of him began to shrink into the body of a familiar white-haired girl, his jaw dropped even further.

A long moment of silent staring ensued between the two before Kira finally spoke up.

"There," She said with a tone of finality, "Now can we speak seriously about this?"

"You…" He muttered as he shakily stood from the ground, "Y-You're real..? Lady Kirin?"

A smile tugged at her lips as her eyes narrowed.

"Then… All that stuff you guys were talking about," He continued as his wide eyes fell to stare at the ground below, a hand raising to his forehead. "A-About the Origin Monsters, and the Council, and the prophesy…"

His eyes rose once again. "That was all… Real, too?"

"It was." She answered.

He swallowed and nodded again before a thunderous realization hit him. One that seemed to make the world stop spinning for a moment with its grave implications.

"That means… My village…" He choked out as tears began to burn his eyes, "You said that I wasn't human, and that they- they destroyed my village because of it… Does that mean that it's _my_ fault that all those people died?"

Kira eyed him for a moment before continuing with what she had tried to tell him back at the Elder's residence.

"There is a great general that works for the Ancient Council," She began in a soft voice, "He's a war-hungry beast with an addiction to battle. Whatever fighting the Council needed done, he was at the forefront. During one of his missions he was badly injured, and was forced to rest at a town lying beside a nearby river."

She turned her head to look out over the lake, continuing with her story as Riaku listened on with shaking breaths. "It was there that he met a human woman. Despite his abrasive personality, the woman insisted on treating his wounds before he go on his way. She cared for him for several days… And in that span of time, the two fell in love. Soon after that he left her to return to the Council, more suited for battle than settling down with a woman- a mortal, at that. He left her side and reported what had happened to the Council."

Riaku was beginning to see where her story was going, and it made him feel as though there was a gaping hole in his chest. Regardless, he continued to listen without saying a word.

"The Council sent spies to check on the village, wanting to be sure that the woman hadn't told anyone about the man who could transform into a monster, but found something far more interesting; the village was buzzing about how she had become pregnant despite never marrying… And when the spies reported back with this information, the Council thought to the prophesy." Her eyes rose to the sky thoughtfully. "A human who could resonate with the very strength he fought against, with an ability to unite a resistance… At first they thought it impossible, as the reproductive biologies between _monsters_ \- Origin or otherwise- and _humans_ are incompatible. Though as she delivered her baby, they realized that a 'miracle child' was exactly what the prophesy had called for."

"But… My father…" Riaku said in a low voice, "I _know_ he existed… I remember him."

Kira shook her head, her white hair flowing behind her with a sudden breeze. "As I mentioned, your village was well-aware of the prophesy. After realizing that the woman had conceived from a relationship with an Origin Monster, they decided to protect her, as well as the miracle child she had delivered. It's very likely that they arranged a husband for her, a hunter who could defend the family if need be, and gave her a house in the center of the town where she could blend in. It was a wise strategy, as there's no way they could have had any idea that they were being watched by the Council… But it wasn't good enough."

She let out a long sigh. "After many months of deliberation… The Council made their ruling. The entire village- child and all- was to be destroyed without a trace by their incendiary runner... An Origin Monster by the name of Crimson Fatalis."

"How do you know it's me?" He asked after a long moment had passed, "How do you know that I'm this miracle child? It could have been someone else… Someone who died in that fire, you know? So how do-"

"Riaku-"

" _No_!" He yelled in a wavering voice, eyeing her with breaths that were growing more and more heavy. "You can't possibly know that _I_ was that monster's kid! There's no way to tell that _I'm_ the reason why all those people died!"

She waited until he had recovered from his outburst before answering him. "Riaku… I've walked this Earth since before the dawn of humanity. I've known more humans than you could imagine. Not one of them… Not a _single one_ gave off the presence that you do. As I said before, there is incredible strength lying dormant within you, the likes of which is on par with the most powerful Origin Monsters. It's faint, which is why it took me so long to find you, but it's there nonetheless."

Her eyebrows furrowed as she continued. "If you were important enough to be placed in a prophesy, then you were important enough to survive until you could participate in its contents. There's not a doubt in my mind that _you_ are the miracle child."

He shook his head, averting his eyes from her gaze. "You must be wrong. I'm not special, and I'm sure as hell not powerful. I can't even get over a stupid fear of fire, so how am I supposed to fight a Council of Origin Monsters? It's… Impossible."

"It's only impossible to you because you can't sense your own potential." She stated firmly, "If you could feel what I do, you would understand how unique you are."

After a brief pause, he murmured a response. "I refuse to believe that my village is gone because of me… I'm not powerful. If my father really _is_ an Origin Monster, then he must be a pretty wimpy one."

Kira eyed him for a long moment before shaking her head. While he continued to stare at the ground, she approached him. It was only when she put a hand on his shoulder that he looked up, and when her soft lips suddenly locked into his own, his eyes went wide.

After a moment their lips parted and she opened her own eyes again, only to find him staring at her in utter shock.

"W-What was _that_ for!?"

She chuckled in her throat before running her hand down his shoulder until it reached his forearm. She lightly grasped and lifted it so that his hand was pointing at the lake.

"Do you feel something strange within you?" She asked cryptically, "A power that wasn't there before?"

"A what..?" He asked, his face still hot from having his first kiss with such little warning.

"A power," She repeated, "Take a moment to search for it."

He had no idea why she chose that moment to kiss him, or why she was now asking him about some new power, but he went along with it anyway. There were butterflies in his stomach, but that was probably because Kira was still so close to him… His head also felt sort of fuzzy, but that could have been from the rollercoaster of emotions he was still riding. Aside from those two things, he felt completely normal…

… No, she was right. There _was_ something there, deep within him. He couldn't exactly pinpoint _where_ it was, but it existed. It was almost like an energetic fuzziness he could feel coursing through his body.

"I think I found it," He muttered as his blush receded.

"Good. Now concentrate on pulling it into your hand."

His eyebrows furrowed as he tried to move the fuzziness. It seemed to run through him like a circuit, so quickly that he could hardly even make it pause… Maybe if he timed his focus for when it approached his hand?

He waited until the swirling sensation reached his bicep, then put all his energy into containing it. To his surprise, the feeling halted in place, slowly spinning as it remained there. He let out a chuckle- this was kind of fun. Now to find a way to bring it to his hand…

It took a moment of experimentation, but before long he was able to pull the fuzzy ball into the palm of his hand, which was still facing the lake. His eyes widened as he could hear an electric static fizzing from the area, accompanied by a dim blue light that shone through his skin.

"Perfect," Kira said, "Now force it from your bod-"

She couldn't finish the sentence before Riaku did as he was told. The result was as curious as it was completely badass- There was a flash of blinding light, then a beam of thinly concentrated electricity flickered in his view before the center of the lake exploded into a shower of mist.

Riaku stared at the lake for a long moment, left completely speechless at what he himself had just done.

"That…" He staggered after a second, "Came out of _me_?"

Kira nodded as she released his arm, allowing it to slowly fall back to his side as he continued to stare at the water that rained down onto the lake's surface.

"It did. Do you still feel the power within you?"

He took a moment to feel for the fuzzy sensation but could no longer sense it running circles within him.

"No… It's gone."

"Good," She replied with a relieved smile, "It would seem my theory was correct."

"Theory?" He asked as he finally turned back to face her, "I've never been able to do that before- how did that just..?"

She let out an exasperated sigh. "You really _are_ slow with these things, aren't you?"

She looked back out over the lake as she gave her explanation. "That power wasn't your own- in fact, it was only a very miniscule amount of _my_ electricity. As I thought, your father passed on his elemental instability, making you capable of absorbing and releasing power from external sources."

"Wow," He breathed, the realization that his father really was an Origin Monster overshadowed by the euphoria of having just launched lightning from his hand. "Then what type of monster is he? He must be an electric one, like a khezu or zinogre, right?"

Kira let out a curt chuff, followed by a giggle, and soon after a full-on laugh. Riaku eyed her curiously as she covered her mouth, showing more amusement at his question than he had seen from her all day.

"What's so funny..?" He asked after moments passed in which she continued to laugh at his expense.

Finally, though, she recovered and turned to him while wiping a tear from her eye. "Riaku… Your father isn't something so weak. After all, if you were only able to use one element, you wouldn't stand much of a chance against something like the Council."

He scratched his head in thought. "More than one element? Then who-"

"I already told you, didn't I?" She asked, "I said that he was a great general of the Ancient Council… And the Council's members wouldn't settle for a military force whose strength was weaker than their own. No, their general is strong enough to hold his own against any given member, with unfathomable strength and an affinity for virtually every known element."

Her red eyes narrowed as they looked into his own. "Riaku, your father is none other than Lord Alatreon."

Riaku's eyes fell to the ground between his feet. He had never heard of an alatreon before, but had he really just heard Kira say that it was capable of using nearly _every_ element? He didn't know of a monster that could use more than one or two… The thought that he could really control other elements as he just had with the lightning released a whole new batch of butterflies into his stomach. The feeling was quickly extinguished, though, when he had a sobering realization.

"Then it's true…" He muttered as his eyes grew wet, "I really _am_ the reason why my village was destroyed… My mom, and all those other people, all died because I happened to be born there… It's all my fault."

He fell to his knees in the dirt as though his previous happiness had never existed. All these years he had blamed monsters for his nightmare, a blame that he now shifted to himself. Had he never come along, they would all still be alive. His mother would still be smiling with those kind blue eyes, unaware of a different reality in which everyone she knew was slaughtered over one child.

 _Him_.

Tears fell against the dirt beneath him as guilt racked his body.

_It's all my fault… It really_ _**is** _ _all my fault…_

His teeth clenched under two eyes that screwed shut as tears trickled out of them. How was he supposed to live with himself now, knowing that hundreds of people would still be alive if not for his existence? It was a weight he was unequipped to carry… Once again, he was too weak.

He knelt over the dirt, shuttering with emotion until Kira stepped close.

"Riaku… You can blame yourself for what happened all you want, but it's not your fault." She began in a soft voice, "You didn't choose to be born into this position- it was merely an act of fate. If you want to blame something, then blame your father, or better yet, the whole of the Ancient Council who ordered for your village to be destroyed. They deserve the blame far more than you do."

He sniffed, wiping his face before answering. "You can say that… But what do I do about it? Those people are already gone…"

"That decision isn't mine to make," She admitted, "You could avenge their deaths, but in the end it won't bring them back. If you want to know what I think… I think you should focus not on what is gone, but instead on what is under threat. The Ancient Council will do everything they can to destroy humanity, and you are the only one deemed worthy to stop them. _That_ is your atonement, Riaku… And that is how you'll become a true hero."

He let out a rattling breath before raising his face to look into her own.

"How?"

In response she slowly extended her hand for him to take, her eyes light but resolute as they stared down.

"You are capable of harnessing the power of multiple elements," She repeated, "And given the proper training, that dormant power that sleeps within you will awaken. The stronger it grows, the more that other monsters will sense it… I, myself, only recognized it because I was so close. As you grow, however, other Origins will recognize you as the catalyst between humanity and monsters, and ultimately decide whether to join you or fight you."

Her eyes narrowed as a small smile played on her lips. "I will stand with you every step of the way. I will train you, battle beside you, and help you find others who will do the same. Then someday, when you're ready, I'll even share my element with you. Together we will save this world, Riaku."

His eyes grew wide as a breeze wiped the tears from his cheeks, the same wind causing her white hair to sway behind her.

"Why are you doing this?" He asked, "You're an Origin Monster, so what do you have to gain from helping the humans?"

She hummed before raising her free hand to gently clasp her chest. "Do you see this coat I'm wearing? Do you see the different colors and decorations?"

She waited until he nodded before continuing. "Each patch, pattern, and band on this set was made by a different villager as thanks for saving them from the tigrex. As if a statue wasn't enough, they sent me away as a celebrated being."

Her smile grew even a bit more. "Humans aren't so bad. They can be incredibly warm and loyal… And even if that weren't the case, they're here for a reason. They have a massive role to play on this planet, and the repercussions for their extinction could be irreconcilable. _That_ is why I want to protect them."

She extended her hand even a little closer to him, as if prompting him for an answer.

"I know it's a lot to ask, Riaku… But will you fight for humanity with me?"

His eyes lowered from her face to the hand that she was still waiting for him to grab. This decision was monumental… If he accepted, he was sure to face trials and dangers the likes of which he'd never known. He would have to train hard to even stand a chance against an army of Origin Monsters… But what other choice was there? If he shied away from his destiny, then the whole of humanity would suffer the consequences. It was his duty to do this… And yet it was so much more.

It was an opportunity to seize everything he'd ever wanted. With this girl's help he could become the hero he had always dreamed of, protecting not just some, but _all_ people. He could avenge his mother and his village while achieving incredible strength along the way.

Taking all of that into account, it was as if his mind had been made up from the moment he could think for himself.

"I still don't know much about this stuff," He admitted with a sheepish rub of his neck, "I have a lot to learn about Origin Monsters, fighting, and being a real hero."

He raised his arm, clasping her hand with his own so suddenly that her red eyes widened in surprise. He smiled at that expression with the most confidence he could muster.

"But I'll work hard to understand it all. I'll protect this world with my life."

Her surprised expression remained for a moment before turning into a smile. With a nod, she hoisted him to his feet.

"Very well, then. We don't have much time… So let's start training."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah, so I gave in to one of the most classic writing cliches: a room hidden behind a bookshelf. I could have handled the Elder's secret room in any number of ways, though if I'm being honest, I really don't mind the whole bookcase thing. "Cliche" isn't necessarily synonymous with "bad", and it got the job done despite being unoriginal.


	7. Training

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It isn't known how much time Riaku has before the Council attacks, so he and Kira immediately begin training. The next several days are filled with mental and physical improvement, as well as increasing understanding between the two as their relationship buds.

Riaku sprinted through the forest, his boots kicking up dirt as he hopped over fallen logs and skid into tight turns around trees. He ducked under low-hanging branches as he ran, his blue eyes constantly scanning for his target above a parted mouth that breathed in rhythm with his movements. Finally he caught sight of it, an orange sphere hanging haphazardly from a sapling, its form similar to that of an egg yolk as it hung between two branches.

He cut toward the object, pulling a paper from his pockets and unfolding it as he ran. It was a list of items that Kira had commanded him to fetch almost immediately after they decided to begin training. The task was only put off by her sudden trip back to the village- though she had returned incredibly quickly, jotting down a collection of items for him to gather before spreading a blanket onto the grass and setting a few items out on it.

"Is this really that important to my training?" He had asked, his skeptical expression rising over the paper.

"Absolutely," She had answered with narrowed eyes, "The contents of this list are the key to power itself."

He honestly had no idea what she had meant by that, as the list was comprised of pretty common findings in the forests around Pokke… Though, now knowing that she was an Origin Monster who had been around for as long as life itself, he had to trust that she had _some_ secret that would increase his own strength.

 _Maybe it'll even let me use another lightning attack!_ He thought as he sped toward the beehive, stashing the paper away and fishing a small jar from his belt.

He wasted no time upon reaching the tree, immediately drawing his hunter's knife and cleaving a slice of the hive from the rest. The result, of course, was a cloud of furry orange bees, all of which took to bombarding Riaku as he worked.

He grit his teeth as the bees covered him. Luckily a majority of his body was defended by a thick coat that prevented them from stinging, though his hands and face weren't so protected. To his preference, the bees had more interest in his hands than his head, though, as he used his knife to scrape the thick golden honey from the cone into the jar. At filling it to the brim, he quickly put a cork in the top and turned to run, discarding the part of the hive he had cut off while also stashing the jar and knife back into his belt.

_Alright… Now I need medicinal herbs and blue mushrooms._

He batted the few remaining bees that had followed him away as he scanned the forest floor, his eyes widening as he spotted both of his targets in a nearby clearing. He slid to a stop, nearly falling over in the process, before turning on a dime for the ingredients. Within a moment, a small troop of mushrooms and a few herbs joined the honey while he thought of where to look for the next item.

_Now, where do I find antidote herbs?_

For the first time since his assignment, he paused to think. He knew that, unlike the mint green herbs he had already collected, antidote herbs sported a blue coloration similar to that of the mushrooms he had gathered. They were also much less hardy than their medicinal counterparts… Meaning that they would need someplace far from the snow to grow.

His eyes drew further into the forest and he nodded, taking off once more. Unlike the previous items on the list, this one was quite a chore to find. It was only when he stumbled across a sunny clearing that he spotted a few of the plants growing in a cluster. He wasted no time in plucking them before putting them away and running back toward the forest's edge.

Riaku returned to the spot where he had parted from Kira to find her reading atop a flat boulder, the beige blanket from before spread on the grass below. Upon it were a mortar and pestle, as well as two glass jars that were much larger than his own. He slowed to a stop in front of the blanket, drawing her red eyes from the pages of her book.

"I must say, that was faster than I expected." She commented as she closed the book with one hand, setting it beside her on the rock. "You must have run the whole time."

"I… Did…" He answered through deep breaths, pulling each ingredient out individually before setting them in relative groups on the fabric, "I…Brought everything… So, what's this training… about, anyway?"

"The training," She answered, "Is about combining certain items with others to make them even more useful."

He deadpanned just as he was fishing out the last herb. "Are you kidding me? You said that this would increase my power!"

"Knowledge _is_ power, Riaku." She answered with a pointer finger raised matter-of-factly, "Now take a seat and listen close."

He threw the herb onto the blanket with an aggravated grunt. "Contrary to what you might think, I'm not _totally_ stupid. I already know how to craft things, Kira."

"Oh? Is that so?" She asked she folded her hands under her chin, "You already have these items' combinations memorized?"

"Yes, I do." He answered with a huff, "And honestly, if this training _has_ to be a lesson, then there are other questions I'm way more interested in learning the answers to."

"Very well, then." She said after a small pause, "Here's what we'll do; for every successful combination you make with these ingredients, I'll answer a question. Sound good?"

He eyed her for a moment before nodding and taking a seat.

"Honestly, after seeing the list I gave you, what did you expect this training to be?" She asked in exasperation.

"I dunno, I thought you might mix them into some ancient potion to make me stronger or something."

"I think Gaia might have told you too many fairy tales growing up," She sighed, "I'm an Origin Monster, Riaku, not a witch… Though whatever the case, let's get started. I'd like to fit a few more lessons in after this before night falls."

He chose to ignore her first comment and instead focus on the second. He told her that he had all these combinations down pat, though now as he was faced with the ingredients he was having a hard time remembering much. His eyes, still locked in a firm glare, rose to meet her face as she patiently watched him.

"Having difficulties?" She asked without wavering in her stoic expression.

"As if." He shot back, only wishing that he was as sure as he sounded.

Regardless, he took a breath and looked the ingredients over again. At first his eyes were drawn to the blue mushrooms… He could faintly remember that they could amplify the healing effects of herbs if ground together…

He reached out and grabbed the largest stalk, plucking the top off before placing it in the stone basin. Soon after he grabbed a herb, tossing it in as well. His eyes shot up to Kira's hesitantly, though she showed no sign that he had done anything wrong so far. That being the case, he ground the two together until they were a gooey green substance.

"… There." He said with a tone of finality, "A healing potion."

Her eyes lowered to the clumpy mess in the mortar before rising back to meet his own.

"It could have used a bit more grinding… Though that's just so you can drink it without having to chew." She leaned back a bit. "Very good. You may now ask a question."

Riaku mentally congratulated himself on doing something right before thinking about what to ask. In truth, he had several things that he wanted to know… Though one in particular had been eating at him for a while.

"Earlier, when you shared your electricity with me," He began before averting his eyes and rubbing his neck sheepishly, "You… Kissed me. Is that the only way for me to absorb power?"

"No," She answered with a shake of her head, "As far as I can tell, all that is required to do so is physical contact. The Origin concentrates some of their power on whatever part of their body is in contact with your own, and your unstable composition absorbs it."

"Then why did you kiss me? Couldn't you have just-"

"One combination, one answer."

His eyebrows furrowed before he turned his attention back toward the blanket. He eyed the potion he had made for a second before glancing at the jar of honey. If he recalled correctly, honey was capable of increasing the properties of healing items. In that case…

He reached over and removed the cork from the honey vial before pouring a majority of it into the basin. After a bit more grinding, he held it toward her.

"Mega potion. Easy peasy."

Again, her eyes fell to his creation before rising back to his own. "You know, Riaku, honey can only improve a potion to an extent. Past a certain point it stops promoting recovery… And I would say that you've far exceeded that point."

"It still worked, didn't it?" He asked with a twinge of defiance.

"Yes, I suppose it did." She admitted, "Though you wasted quite a bit of honey in doing so. For future reference, halve the amount you used there."

"Got it," He said with a nod, "Now, about my question?"

"I kissed you because I wanted to see what it was like," She answered with a shrug, "That is all."

"I see…" he once again averted his eyes, his cheeks growing a bit warm. "And… Did you like it?"

In response, her eyes flickered down to the blanket and back, reminding him of their deal.

" _Gah_ … Fine!"

He looked back down at his options. If blue mushrooms and herbs worked together to make a potion, then wouldn't substituting an antidote herb create a proper antidote? He nodded to himself- it was worth a shot.

First emptying the mortar into one of the glass jars, he replaced its contents with another mushroom crown and one of the blue herbs. This time he was a lot more vigorous in his grinding, as she had advised, resulting in a much more consistent substance.

"Very good, it would seem you listen well." She said with a shadow of a smile tugging at her lips, "That's a perfect antidote. If you ever find yourself poisoned or envenomated, drink that and you'll quickly recover."

"Cool," He briefly responded, eyeing her expectantly.

She chuckled at seeing his expression. "To answer your question, yes, I enjoyed kissing you. You didn't really kiss back, though… So there's still a lot of room for improvement in that regard. Luckily there will be plenty of time to work on it as we learn to become better mates for one another."

He cocked an eyebrow at her. "There you go again, talking like we're together or something… You even went as far as telling Gaia that we're 'betrothed', even though we only met this morning. What's up with that?"

All she had to do was press her lips into a tight line for him to get the point. He looked back at the blanket, which was at this point growing barren. All that remained of his gatherings was a bit of honey. Given that fact, he assumed that adding honey to his antidote would have the same effect as it would on a potion. He emptied the rest of the vial into the mortar, shaking it to get the last bit out before mixing it all together.

"There, it's a… Mega antidote?"

Her eyes narrowed at him. "Riaku, how can an antidote be improved? Poison is a bit of a hit-or-miss issue."

"Right, right," He mumbled with an embarrassed chuckle, "It was worth a shot, anyway."

She hummed as she eyed him before eventually sighing. "That bit aside, you successfully combined everything I had intended… Potions and mega potions to regain health, and antidotes to cure poisoning. Given that fact, I suppose I'll answer your last question before we move on."

He perked up considerably at hearing that, as he honestly wasn't expecting her to be so accommodating of his wishes. He watched carefully as Kira fell silent for a long moment, seeming to collect her thoughts before speaking up again.

"I suppose a good place to start with that answer would be at the biological level," She mused, "As I mentioned earlier, Origin Monsters aren't really _designed_ to reproduce… From what we can tell, we're sexually chimeric. We're monsters, so we can't breed with humans. Conversely, our reproductive makeup was skewed when we gained our human forms, effectively making it so that we aren't compatible with lesser monsters either- not that any self-respecting Origin Monster would consider mating with a regular monster in the first place, as it's akin to a human mating with an animal, but the Council has done its fair share of research to back up the fact that it's impossible to conceive that way regardless. So, then, we're unable to have offspring with either humans or other monsters, and given that there is only one Origin of each species, we obviously can't successfully mate with one another."

She sighed. "That leaves us effectively infertile. We've gathered that Origins have regularly functioning reproductive organs, but without a matching set, it's ultimately a moot point."

"I see…" Riaku replied while scratching his chin in thought, "That must be rough. How do _I_ fit into any of that, though?"

"Well, Riaku," She began while raising a thoughtful finger to her cheek, "Given that one of your parents is a human and the other an Origin Monster, it's very possible that _you_ have a complimentary system to ours. You're both human and monster, genetically speaking- though we favor the 'monster' end of the spectrum, while you fall more on the 'human' side."

"Yeah, but my dad is an alat-whatsit, right?" He countered, "Wouldn't that mean I'm only compatible with a female Origin of the same species?"

"Very possibly, yes." Kirin answered, her eyes narrowing a bit. "However- and at the risk of sounding a bit foolish in saying this- I hope the same miracle that gave you life will allow you to pass life on. There's a distinct possibility, after all, that you're the product of a sexual mutation, either on your mother or father's side- and that's not to mention the line in the prophesy in which it tells of a 'new order' rising… Perhaps this line is referring to a new breed of Origin Monster/human hybrids? True, it's improbable that any of this will actually produce successful results, but there's a chance nonetheless. A chance that you, alone, can impregnate a female Origin Monster."

Her eyebrows furrowed a bit. "I only hope that this is the case. If so, I could _finally_ have children of my own…"

He felt for the longing in her voice, but couldn't help but feel a bit objectified as well. After all, she hadn't said a word about liking him for who he was- just for the possibility that he could give her children. If that were the case, then wouldn't she lose interest in him the moment that her wish was granted- assuming it even _could_ _be_ realized in the first place?

"Oh…" He breathed as he cast a dejected look at the ground, "That's all it is, then."

She seemed to snap out of her thoughts at hearing that. "What's with that look? Is the pressure of what I just said troubling you?"

He shook his head. "No, it's just… It seems like you only 'like' me for reproductive reasons. I hoped that… I dunno…"

She eyed his disappointed expression for a moment before sighing. "It would seem you're a man, after all. So needy for validation of your worth…"

As he turned back to her with a confused look, she continued.

"I've found you to be a suitable mate for more than just reproductive reasons, Riaku… And given my status, that _should_ be enough for you to be proud of yourself." She crossed her arms before going on. "However, I'm not callous to my mate's needs. So, then, I'll tell you the other reasons why I like you. Will that cheer you up?"

That patronizing tone annoyed him, though his curiosity weighed more than his ego at this point. She waited until he gave a reluctant nod before outlining her reasoning.

"To be fair, you're not particularly exceptional at a first glance. You're physically weak compared to me, you're stubborn and emotionally reliant, and going off your earlier actions, you're not incredibly intelligent, either..."

His face grew steadily redder as the insults came, until he finally cut her off. "I get it, alright! I'm not perfect. That still doesn't tell me why you want to marry me, though."

"I was getting to that," She scolded before her eyes rose with thought, "What does that leave us with, then? Well… You play a vital part in an ancient prophesy that implies your incredible strength and righteous heart. I've seen promise of both firsthand… So, from a monster's metric, you have the capability to protect and provide, given enough work, and are unlikely to neglect a family. That leaves the human side of things…"

She trailed off for a moment, her cheeks growing a bit pink when she finally continued with the thought. "You're a really hard worker. You're devoted to your ambitions and will face your obstacles again and again until you finally succeed. That side of you is also a bit reckless, which is worrisome… But you earnestly try your best, which is admirable… And I think it's really sweet."

His eyes widened as he stared at her. This was the first time that a girl had ever confessed to him why she was interested, and while some of it felt lacking from his preconceptions about these sort of things, he had to remind himself that she was an Origin Monster- not some regular human girl. That thought reinforced the value of what she had just said to him.

"You really mean that?" He asked as he rubbed the back of his neck, avoiding her eyes with a blush of his own.

"I do." She answered, "And now that I've made _my_ position clear, I'm curious about what you think of me."

He briefly pondered whether or not he should be honest with her, but Kira struck him as the type of person that was hard to lie to. Not to mention how earnest her own confession had been, which only made him want to reciprocate her honesty more.

"You're… Really cute." He admitted, "And the fact that you're this awesome electric-dragon-horse thing is really amazing… I guess I just never imagined that a girl as incredible as you would ever take interest in someone like me."

She hummed as she watched him with a smile that grew a bit at hearing his words. Then, without warning, she stood from the rock and dusted herself off.

"Well, then," She began as she picked her book up, holding it to her chest with both hands as she smiled down at him, "It's your job as my mate to become someone deserving of me. Think of it as a part of your training, if you'd like- a tool to push yourself harder."

He took in her words for a long moment before returning her smile and nodding. "I will!"

She hummed, then looked toward the sky, raising a hand to shield her eyes from the mid-afternoon sunlight.

"With that settled, I'd say it's time to move on to the next bit of training."

Riaku immediately jumped up at hearing that, eyeing her with hopeful blue eyes. "I'm ready! What's next? Target practice with my lightning hands? Monster hunting? Maybe you can teach me some ancient fighting techniques?"

She chuckled in her throat but shook her head.

"Nope, we're practicing fishing. After that I'll have you learn how to build fires."

As she began to walk past him toward a nearby lake, Riaku gawked after her. " _Fishing_? _Fires_? What's next, classical knitting? Maybe birdwatching?"

"Don't give me ideas," She warned without pausing in her walk, "These are vital skills for anyone who has to travel through the wilderness for extended periods of time. You'd do well to learn a few things- now stop whining and follow me."

He watched her walk away in disbelief for another moment before sighing, gathering the blanket and all its contents before following with a groan.

"Yes, ma'am…"

* * *

Riaku grimaced as he looked down at his hands. They were cut, scraped, and mildly burned from the "training" that he had undergone.

It was night now, the yellow half-moon above joined only by a few sparse clouds and a sea of tiny stars. After the crafting lesson, Kira had taught Riaku how to make his own makeshift fishing pole from objects found in nature, then gave him advice on where to find bait. Those had been the easy parts… But catching the ten fish required to move on to the next lesson? Not quite a walk in the park. By the time that he had met his quota, it was nearing sundown. They couldn't leave, however, until Kira had seen him make three fires, using three different techniques- an exercise that Riaku wasn't at all thrilled about thanks to his fear, though Kira had helped to alleviate his discomfort by taking over tending to the flames once they had gotten too big for him to handle. In that sense, it was more of a lesson in creating an ember than a proper fire.

It had been a lot of work, but the end result wasn't so bad. The two had finished the day's training with a nice fish dinner as they looked out over the lake. Now they were making their way back to the village side-by-side, Kira wearing a small smile from beside a lightly-injured Riaku.

"You did well today," She said as they approached the hill that would lead into Pokke, "As a reward, you may hold my hand."

He looked at her with a cocked eyebrow before lowering his gaze to the hand she held out for him to grab. As tempting as it was to take her up on her offer, he was less than thrilled with the contents of this 'all-important training' she had sold him on earlier, and planned to make his distaste known. The fact that his hands were in pain from the day's events certainly didn't make him more inclined to accept her "reward".

"Nah, that's okay." He said, trying his best to sound cool as he turned her down. "I'm good."

He was prepared to refuse an attractive girl's hand in the interest of making a point. He was even prepared for whatever backlash would inevitably ensue. However, as Kira brought a hand to her mouth to conceal a hurt frown, he realized that he was not prepared for the emotional tricks that she had long-since mastered to get her way with humans.

"So, you're really not attracted to me after all," She murmured as her eyes fell to her lower-right, "And here I thought that we felt the same toward each other…"

His strong disposition lasted all of two seconds before he hastily took her hand in his own, looking away with a firm face- an expression that he knew was undermined by the blush he couldn't prevent. At getting her way, the sadness melted from Kira's face, only to be replaced with a condescending smirk.

"Yes, you're most certainly a man. You just can't help but save a damsel in distress, can you?"

"Shut up," He muttered, "I knew you were faking… I just decided to be the bigger person, is all."

She hummed. "How humble of you."

He grunted before changing the subject as they passed under the village gates. "Anyway, isn't it a bit soon to be holding hands like this? I mean… We only just met this morning, remember?"

"You mean you don't like it..?" She asked with the same hurt expression from earlier, raising her free hand to cover her girlish blushing.

"I know you're faking!"

Her eyes shifted to him before she sighed and lowered her hand, her face immediately losing the expression she had fabricated.

"I suppose some tricks only work once," She mused before answering him. "To be fair, what you see as a rapidly developing relationship is actually painfully slow to a monster."

"Is that so?"

She nodded. "In the world of monsters, mates usually consummate their relationship immediately after finding each other suitable. You should be grateful that I'm being so respectful of human culture that I would wait."

His face reddened even further at imagining a different reality, one in which he and her had mated right after having their conversation by the lake. Not that he would necessarily object to the thought…

"That's what's so funny about humans," She continued, her eyes idly scanning the signs of buildings they passed as they made their way through the town square, her voice just low enough that the occasional passerby couldn't hear. "They live such short lives- compared to a majority of monsters who can live for hundreds, if not thousands of years- yet they generally take longer to court before mating than almost any other species."

Riaku's eyes lowered as he scratched his chin in thought. "You're right… I guess I've never thought of that before."

She hummed before chuckling quietly to herself. "Oh, well. I suppose I don't mind waiting… After all, I've spent innumerable years alone up until this point. Maybe taking the time to savor a relationship's growth could be nice."

Riaku's eyes shifted to her before looking straight ahead once again, the edges of his lips tugged into a smile. It wasn't until they had reached the gates to his house that his expression changed to surprise, and soon after, curiosity.

Large beams of wood draped in tarp extended off either side of the building. These structures weren't foreign to him- they were used as temporary placeholders while expansions were being made. The question, then, became why _Gaia's_ house was being expanded- after all, even with the reward money from slaying the tigrex, they hadn't nearly enough zenny to afford upgrades of this scale.

He once again shot a glance at Kira, who had no other reaction to seeing the changes than a satisfied smile. Did she know something that he didn't?

Rather than ask her, he decided to check it out for himself. He let go of her hand and jogged down the short path before throwing the door open. What he found were Gaia and Elder Maria having a conversation over a cup of tea.

"Oh, Riaku!" Gaia greeted with a smile, "And Kira too! Welcome home, kiddos!"

The two in question made their way inside, Riaku shooting a cautious glance at Maria as she smiled at him pleasantly. She seemed calm, despite the confrontational nature of their last meeting- something that Riaku was relieved to find.

"So, uh… What's going on with the house?" He asked as his eyes passed from the Elder to Gaia and back.

"You mean you don't know?" Gaia asked, "I thought for sure that you would have told him by now, Elder."

"Oh, my bad, my bad." Maria answered with a chuckle before turning her bespectacled eyes on the boy, "Riaku, while you were out training with Kira there, we held your ruling."

"Is that so?" He asked slowly, "And what's the verdict?"

"The verdict is that you may continue to hunt in Pokke, as though you had never failed your exam."

He let out a sigh of relief. Even with all of the craziness surrounding Kira and the prophesy, he had spent the day secretly dreading the Elder's decision. After all, he had not only lied to her about his claim to fame, but had also blatantly disrespected her when she was only trying to teach him.

"In fact," She continued, "You did _such_ a good job with the tigrex that the Guild has appointed you a party leader! Having received permission from Gaia, this house will become a lodge, if you will, for other aspiring young hunters to stay at while they train under you."

Riaku was immediately lost. A party leader? His house a lodge, complete with new hunters? What was going on?

"Oh my, that reminds me of something important!" The Elder said with a start before turning to Gaia, "I must speak with these two in private for a moment… You understand, don't you?"

"Absolutely!" Gaia agreed, "Would you like me to step out for a moment?"

"Much the opposite," The old woman replied as she stood from the table, "I must be going. I'll speak with Riaku and Kira outside on my way out, if it's all the same with you, dear."

"Oh, okay…" Gaia's eyes lowered before meeting Maria's own once more, a bit wet with gratitude. "Thank you again, Elder, for being so generous. I know that my house isn't much to work with, but I'll make sure that those new hunters have good food and a clean home to return to every night."

Maria nodded at her with a smile. "Think nothing of it. Your cooperation is appreciated, Gaia."

With that said, the woman walked past Riaku, humming happily as she did so. He shot one last curious glance at a very smiley Gaia before following the Elder with Kira on his heels. Once the three of them were outside, the closed door giving them privacy from Gaia and the nearby roads barren, Riaku spoke up.

"Elder… Look, I'm so sorry for how I spoke to you earlier," He began pleadingly, "I would take it all back if I could, it's just that… Well, it was so much to take in, and-"

"Water under the bridge, Riaku." She cut him off with a raised hand, "A couple of hours ago, I'd likely have a few choice words for you, but it would seem that you've come around now."

He nodded. "Yeah, I understand what's going on. Kira showed me her… _Other_ form, and we found out that I can absorb her electricity."

"I see," Maria said with a nod, "That's a good sign. Now, Riaku, I hope you'll take that power seriously. The elements aren't something to trifle with, after all."

He bowed his head to her. "I understand. I'll be careful, I promise."

She hummed before her eyes shifted to Kira. "Whatever the case, Lady Kirin will steer you straight. Be sure to listen well to her, Riaku, and I know that you'll grow exponentially."

He nodded again before she changed the subject. "Now, then… At Lady Kirin's behest, I've taken a few steps to help you from here. The first is rather obvious- your home."

She turned to look at one of the placeholders that was jutting from the side of the house. "They're adding a new section over there that's devoted to empty bedrooms. The other side is also being worked on, and within a few days, you'll have a large bathhouse, complete with indoor plumbing and a new technology that will heat your bath without the need for fire."

Riaku's widened eyes swept from Maria's face to Kira's, who watched him with an amused expression.

"That all sounds great, but… Why?" He asked, "I'm a bit lost."

"It's simple, really." Kira answered in Maria's stead, "As your power increases, the more aware other Origins will become of your location. For the ones that join our cause, we'll need somewhere for them to stay while they're training you. After these renovations are complete, we'll have multiple spare bedrooms, as well as a large bath where we can increase rapport with our new allies."

"Okay," He answered slowly, "I get that, but… What's this business about becoming a party leader and having new hunters train under me?"

"Oh, that," Maria chuckled, "I pulled a few strings with the Guild, you see, and created a cover for the two of you."

"Cover?" He echoed.

Kira nodded. "We don't want the Council catching on to what we're doing. At the moment they think that the catalyst is either dead or unborn, and we want to keep it that way for as long as possible. If they were to realize that the miracle child is already gathering a resistance, they might start their attack on humanity early… The only things keeping them from starting a war right now are the opinions of a few key members, who aren't convinced that killing the humanoids off is such a good idea. If they were to learn that the hero from the prophesy is already training, however, they might cut past the pleasantries and go on the offensive. We _need_ the time before that happens to train you into a formidable opponent for them."

"Exactly," Maria agreed, "And seeing as we would need a good cover-up to explain why so many outsiders were gathering in our town, we decided to turn Gaia's house into a training lodge and label you a leader for rookie or troubled hunters. In truth it will be quite the converse… _You_ won't be training _them_ , though _they'll_ be training _you_."

"I get it…" He mumbled, his eyes lowering with thought as he scratched his chin. "So on the outside it will look like the prodigy who killed a tigrex is training hopeful hunters from all over the place."

"Precisely." Elder Maria nodded, "The renovations won't be complete for a few days, I'm afraid, though I'm doubtful that you two would stumble across another Origin Monster so soon."

Kira shook her head. "We won't start actively looking for other Origins until I'm confident in Riaku's abilities… And from what I've seen, we've still got a lot of work to do before that happens."

Riaku shot her a brief glare, though couldn't really think of a comeback. She was right, after all… He still had quite a ways to go before he was ready to face anything remotely near Kira's strength.

"Speaking of searching for Origin Monsters," The Elder continued, "I've given us a leg-up in that regard as well. The Guild will come to me should there be any reports of overly-powerful monsters, and if I see promise that an Origin is involved, I'll bring it to your attention."

"Thank you, Maria," Kira replied with a smile beneath her narrowed eyes, "I'm sure that will be a great help."

The Elder returned the smile and bowed her head. "Anything for you, Lady Kirin… After all, you've not been seen in this village for quite some time. Being able to meet you myself, rather than settle for hearing stories, has been an incredible honor. Thank you for once again looking out for Pokke."

"Of course."

The elder hummed, smiling at the two for a moment before turning from the house. "If you two should ever need anything, my door is open to you- and Kira, as I mentioned before, think of my library as your own."

She made it a few steps toward the gate before Riaku spoke up. "Wait!"

Maria paused to smile at him from over her shoulder. He rubbed his arm for a moment while avoiding her gaze before continuing.

"Thank you, Elder… You know, for doing all of this for us. Especially after my behavior earlier."

She chuckled to herself before turning back to face the gate. "Riaku, while it's true that these things aren't without cost, you have already taken the first step toward earning them. You can thank me all you want, though you've already accepted a terrible burden… In comparison to what I fear might await you, these gestures are very small."

She began to walk toward the road again, as if that was all she had to say, though she finished the thought as her small form disappeared into the night.

"I left your belongings on your bed." She said with a frail voice that grew smaller as she left, "Represent Pokke well, Riaku. We're all counting on you."

With that as a farewell, Riaku and Kira were left alone at the front door. Before going back inside, however, they exchanged looks.

"Do we really have to keep all of this a secret from Gaia?" He asked her with a conflicted expression, "I mean, we can at least tell _her_ about all of this Origin Monster stuff, right?"

Kira shook her head. "Maria and I agreed that we should keep this information between as few people as possible. The more who know, the more likely it is that something will leak to the Council."

"I get that, but-"

"-Riaku." She sternly cut him off, "Let me put it another way: don't tell anyone about this who you wouldn't want to see get hurt."

His eyes widened at her before lowering with thought. It would be difficult to hide something this important from Gaia, but he knew that Kira was right. If the Council would go as far as to destroy an entire village to secure their plans, then they certainly wouldn't have any trouble with killing him or his loved ones.

"Yeah… I get it." He repeated in a dejected voice.

Kira eyed him for a moment before turning for the door. "Come on, let's call it a day."

He nodded at her before following her inside, only to be met by two fresh cups of tea sitting on the table beside an expectantly grinning Gaia.

"I'm so excited to hear about today!" She said to the two once the door had closed behind them, "Riaku, I'm so proud of you for agreeing to show Kira how to hunt!"

His brow almost cocked in confusion before he remembered their alibi. "O-Oh, yeah… It was nothing, really."

"I learned so much," Kira giggled as she took a seat at the table, immediately cupping her hands around her tea. "I taught him some of my tribe's survival secrets in return for all the great things that he showed me today."

"I see," Gaia said with a proud smile, "Now then, Kira, why didn't you mention to me earlier that you wanted to be a hunter?"

A small blush covered the girl's face as she averted her eyes. "Well… I never really knew that I wanted to do this until I saw Riaku fight that tigrex. I've always had to rely on the strength of others to be kept safe, so when I saw the power of a hunter, I just knew that I had to have it for myself."

Riaku sat across from Kira and took a long sip of his own tea as she spoke, still amazed by how fluidly she could weave a lie. He only hoped that she wouldn't ever use that power against _him_.

"You see, Riaku?" Gaia asked with a playful nudge, "All that hard work paid off! All that worrying about not being a good hunter, and you still ended up inspiring others to follow your path! All it took was having a bit of faith in yourself… And now look at you! Straight from rookie hunter to party leader, faster than a blink!"

He chuckled, the smile on his face a stark contrast from his true feelings.

The three went on talking for quite a while before a yawn from Riaku reminded them of how late it was. They all decided to head to bed, as Riaku and Kira would be getting up early the next morning to train some more, and Gaia was determined to have the house cleaned up before construction began the next day. They didn't actually turn in for the night, however, before the couple made their way upstairs to check on the "belongings" that Elder Maria had told them about.

Upon entering his room, they found that his sword and shield were placed neatly atop his covers, freshly polished and sharpened. Beside them was a large burlap sack, which Riaku was quick to open. What awaited him on the inside brought a smile to his face; it was a collection of orange and blue scales, alongside bones of varying sizes, teeth, claws, and rubbery webbing. He had finally received his share of the tigrex materials.

At first he was excited at the possibilities that this sack held, though his smile melted into confliction after a moment. "This is great, but… _I_ didn't kill that tigrex. Isn't it wrong for me to keep all of this?"

"Yes it is," Kira answered as she crossed over, grabbing the sack and lugging it over her shoulder, "So _I'll_ be taking it instead."

Despite the previous conflict he had regarding the materials, his mouth impulsively opened to argue at seeing the bag being snatched away from him. He couldn't get a word out, though, before Kira's red eyes glinted dangerously, daring him to object.

He sighed. "I guess that's fair."

She gave a satisfied hum before turning back toward the door. "Of course it is. Don't worry, though… Before long you'll be strong enough to earn your own materials. I'll make sure of that."

He chuckled and rubbed the back of his neck. "Thank you, Kira… For everything you did today."

She hummed again before making her way out of the room, pausing only to say one last thing before closing the door behind her.

"Sleep well. You'll need every last ounce of your strength for tomorrow."

That statement worried him a bit, filling his mind with images of grueling training as he mumbled out a "Goodnight," in return.

With that the door closed, leaving him alone for the night. He stripped from his armor before collapsing into the bed, a long sigh escaping his lips. Saying that it had been a wild day would be a massive understatement, as it seemed that every aspect of his life had been flipped on its head with Kira's arrival.

He broke into a smile as he rolled over, remembering the warmth of her hand in his own, or better yet, the softness of her lips when they had kissed earlier. She was a strange girl… A bit on the standoffish side, not to mention condescending at times. Despite those things, though… She wasn't a bad person. He remembered the warm smile she wore when she had told him about her armor, as well as the playful way that she taunted him into holding her hand earlier. Not to mention the fact that she had taken to training him personally- teaching him things that he may not have been the most thrilled about learning, true, but even _he_ could admit that they had a purpose. Training for something this monumental had to come in a proper order, and she certainly knew better than him what that order was.

His face began to heat up when he remembered something else she had said that day… About relationships in the monster world turning sexual almost immediately upon pairing up. Had she said that to imply that she wanted to do those sorts of things with him as well?

The very thought sent Riaku down a rabbit hole of possibilities, his body tossing and turning as he tried to remove images of the white-haired girl from his imaginative mind…

* * *

Riaku's sword flashed in the morning sunlight, a splash of crimson shadowing its edge as it sliced through the throat of his target. The anteka he had been fighting stumbled before falling onto its side in the grass, defeated by the blow. He hadn't even the time to wipe his brow, however, before the next of its herd charged at him with a lowered head, its wide antlers ready to gore him through. Riaku immediately pulled behind his shield, spreading his feet as he leaned against the barrier. There was a heavy crash as he was pushed back a few inches, though he quickly countered with a bash of his own. The steel disk in his hand knocked against the hard head of the deerlike monster he was facing, temporarily stunning it long enough for him to thrust his sword into the fleshy cove between its throat and chest. The blade carved through the outer hide and inner muscles with ease, piercing into his opponent's vital organs with a squelch before he retrieved it, allowing this anteka to fall beside the previous

"Arzuros." Kira's voice called from nearby.

He thought for a moment, recalling the large ursine monster in question. They generally lived in more temperate climates with a lot of woodland, and were known to have an obsession with honey.

"Fire… Right?" He asked after a moment, "Or is it ice? I can't really remember."

Kira hummed as she watched Riaku face off against another anteka, the two circling one another in anticipation of the next move. "Both of those are correct, though they're less resilient to heat than cold."

The anteka suddenly charged, Riaku sidestepping just in time to avoid its horns as he extended his sword, allowing its tip to slice through the monster's side as it passed. "Oh, good. I guess my memory isn't that bad after all."

Kira sighed and returned her focus to her own task. "Granted that you got the last two wrong, I wouldn't be patting myself on the back if I were you."

His blue eyes shot toward the girl before returning to his fight beneath eyebrows that furrowed with annoyance. "Whatever, just give me the next one."

"Very well," She answered without lifting her gaze, "Tigrex."

"Tigrex," He echoed before dashing toward the anteka that had paused in its charging to turn broadside, "That's got to be fire, right?"

Kira shook her head as Riaku struck his prey so hard that it was thrown to the ground. Before it could stand again, he plunged his sword between its ribs, immediately silencing it.

"No," She answered, "Why would you think that?"

"Well," He grunted as he yanked his sword out again, turning just in time to dodge the next charging monster. "They live in snowy mountains, right? They must be weak to heat, then."

"I see…" She mused, "It makes sense how you would arrive at that conclusion, though in truth tigrex are one of the most wide-spread monsters in existence. They thrive in nearly any landscape, from mountains like these to blazing deserts. So long as there's enough prey to go around, they can prove to be very resilient."

"Okay," He slowly replied while sizing the next anteka up, "Then what are they weak to?"

"Electricity, mostly."

His surprised eyes shot back to her, allowing the last anteka of the herd to capitalize on his lack of attention. It charged forward, lowering its head before throwing its massive horns upward. The hit would have been a powerful uppercut into Riaku's torso, had he not noticed the movement at the last moment and jumped backward, ducking behind his shield as a second horn attack was thrown against the barrier.

"But wait," He spoke up as he lashed out from around the shield with his sword, "Didn't you have some legendary fight with a tigrex all those years ago? One that went on for several days?"

"Yes," She answered, "Why?"

"Well… Your element is electricity, right?" He responded, struggling momentarily as one of the anteka's tines got caught in the underside of his shield, "Wouldn't that make it a quick fight?"

"You would think so," She answered as her eyes carefully inspected her work, "But this wasn't any ordinary tigrex- it was an Origin Monster, same as me."

Finally the anteka showed its weak spot, rearing onto its back legs to launch a barrage of kicks against Riaku's chest. It couldn't deliver the first blow, however, before Riaku swung his sword upward, driving the blade through the deer's entire abdomen with a bit of effort. In response the monster fell against the hunter's shield with a limp thud.

"That must have been an incredible fight," He breathed as he removed his sword from the carcass and let it roll off his shield, "I can only imagine what a battle between two Origin Monsters would be like."

"It was difficult, I'll say that much." Kira admitted, stashing her work into a burlap sack before throwing it over her shoulder and hopping down to join Riaku at ground-level.

They had woken up a few hours prior to begin training, stopping only for Kira to do some shopping on their way out of town. Riaku had watched in abject horror as she sold the tigrex bones from the night before, using the money to purchase knitting and sewing equipment, of all things, along with a variety of colored yarn, tanned leather, and the strongest thread that Pokke had to offer. Riaku was sure that he could come up with a better use for the money, though he dared not say that to Kira.

Next she had purchased a steel longsword in a white leather holding. That same sword was slung across her back as she dropped down from the- admittedly impressive- height of the rocky outcrop she had just been observing him from. He had asked her what the sword was for when she bought it, citing that she really didn't need a human weapon to handle herself in battle. She had given him an unamused look in response before reminding him that she needed to look the part of a hunter-in-training, lest their cover be blown.

"Alright, then," She began as she looked around at the anteka bodies that littered the small field, "Place these in the cart with the others, then we'll move on to the next herd."

Riaku groaned, sheathing his sword as he turned for the nearest carcass. "I understand hunting anteka to work on my swordsmanship, but do I really need to pull every single one I kill along in that stupid cart?"

"Absolutely," Kira responded with red eyes that scanned the nearest mountain range for movement, "Pulling that much weight is good for your strength and endurance. Not to mention, if we bring all of these back into town with us, we can sell their parts to make a bit of money for Gaia."

 _That's true_ , Riaku thought as he struggled to drag a body to the wooden cart at the edge of the field, _but she could at least help me stack them up- I mean, I'm dying over here while she's been knitting away on a rock._

With a grunt of exertion, Riaku lifted the deer and threw it atop the pile of bodies in the back of the cart. Before moving on to the next one, however, he fished his canteen from his belt and took a long drink of water, idly examining the anteka as he did so.

There really wasn't much to say about anteka. As previously mentioned, they were deerlike monsters sporting shaggy, tawny brown fur. The most curious thing about them were their heads, upon which were two massive horns, the majority of which ran horizontally across the crown of their skulls before curving into a wicked tine. Other sharp tines also jutted from the base of the main horn, as well as off either of its sides.

These were by far the most common game around Pokke, which was fortunate since their hides and horns were so valuable. A lot of the locals even swore by grilled anteka heart, which held its own as a niche delicacy within the village.

Riaku downed the rest of his water before moving on to the next body. "Hey, Kira, I've been meaning to ask you something."

"Hm? What is it?"

"Well," He began as he started to move the next, "We've covered a lot of monsters today, but you haven't told me anything about kirin. Shouldn't I know what _your_ weakness is, if we're going to be fighting together?"

Her eyes rose thoughtfully. "That's a good point. I hadn't told you about kirin because it's highly unlikely that you'll ever see one, let alone fight it- though I suppose I can tell you about my own weakness… It's fire."

"Fire?" He echoed as he lugged the next anteka into the cart, "I guess we have something in common, then."

She watched him work for a long moment before responding. "I remember you mentioning that you have pyrophobia. I can only imagine that it's a product of what happened to your first village… And yet you seem totally comfortable around candles and lanterns."

"Yeah, those smaller things don't bother me much," He admitted as he repeated the process for the umpteenth time, "It's whenever the fire is larger or less contained that it kicks in… Like back in school."

"School?"

He nodded. "In the winter, when it got _really_ cold in town, the teachers would light a wood stove at the front of the class. Whenever they did that I would always have to move to the back, because just being near it was enough to make me dizzy."

Kira hummed, then fell silent for a moment before speaking up again. "You know, Riaku… One of the elements at your father's disposal happens to be fire."

He paused to look at her. "It is?"

"It is." She answered with a nod, "And given his position in the Council, it's highly likely that you'll end up fighting him someday."

Riaku felt a twinge of fear at the thought, swallowing hard before answering. "What are you trying to say?"

"I'm saying that you'll have to get over that fear by the time we face Lord Alatreon- otherwise he'll use your fear against you."

Riaku was quiet for a long moment as he worked. "That's easier said than done… I mean, it _really_ bothers me. How are we going to deal with that?"

"I suppose we'll have to find a fire-wielding Origin Monster to train you." She answered while bringing a finger to her cheek, "Perhaps we can rid you of your fear from the inside out."

The thought of having fire inside of him, as he had with the electricity earlier, made him shiver. Given how uncomfortable the topic was becoming, he changed the subject.

"Alright, that's the last of the anteka in this area." He announced with a clap, "Now we move on to the next, right?"

"Right…" She answered, "Though, for this next herd, I'd like you to refrain from using your shield."

His jaw dropped. "Are you serious? I can't use my shield?"

"Precisely."

"Why not?"

Her eyes narrowed ambiguously. "I've watched your fighting style. It's not terrible, but you rely a bit too much on your defenses. A smarter monster, like an Origin, will pick up on that fact and predict your movements. Once they have you figured out, there's no end to the ways that they could turn your patterns against you."

He scratched his chin in thought. "I guess I can understand that, but the reason why I chose the sword and shield in the first place was _because_ it had something that I could defend myself with."

"That might not always be an option, though," She argued, "If your shield is knocked away, you may find yourself unprepared to fight without it."

"I don't think that would be an issue. I'm not too bad with a sword either, you know."

She smirked at him, her eyes flashing. "Fine. If you can fend me off without using your shield, you may continue to use it on the next herd."

She paused to drop the sack she was carrying before reaching over her shoulder and drawing her long sword. "However, if you're unable to stop me, then you must go without your shield for the rest of the day."

He eyed the intimidating sword she was wielding in a classic two-hand stance. With its extended reach, it would be much easier for her to put him into a compromising position… However, after thinking it through for another moment, he smirked back.

"Fine," He answered, tossing his shield aside and tilting his sword to guard his torso, "Give me your best shot."

He went into the match with the utmost confidence. After all, she was an Origin Monster who had spent her whole life with lightning at her offensive disposal, meaning that she probably had very little knowledge about using human weapons. He thought that she might swing at him a few times, though her inexperience with the weapon would allow him to swat away her attempts with ease.

Little did he know just how wrong he was.

In the span of mere seconds, she had not only knocked his sword away, but also had him kneeling with the edge of her blade against his throat. It had happened so quickly that he hardly had time to react to her movements at all.

She had started with a lunge, the sword's hilt at her side as she charged at him with incredible speed. His kneejerk reaction was to go for a block, and the moment that his sword was turned defensively, she knocked it out of his hands by flicking upward against the area just above his guard. The hit had been so hard and unexpected that he was helpless to do anything as the blade flipped from his grasp… And before it had even hit the ground, she had pivoted around him, wrapping an arm across his chest while her sword's edge brushed his neck from the other direction.

"No shield." She murmured into his ear, his eyes going wide as she drew the sword from his skin and released him from her hold.

"How- How did you..?"

"Have you forgotten how long I've been alive, Riaku?" She asked as she sheathed her weapon, casting a stoic look down at him as he remained kneeling in the grass. "I was here when the sword was invented, and watched carefully as blademasters refined and improved it. Many of the other Origin Monsters have done the same… And depending on which one you're facing, they may not hesitate to kill you at the first opportunity."

His eyes shifted to the sword that lie in the grass a few feet from him. Once again, she had shown him just how much room he had to improve.

"… Okay," He conceded after a moment, "I'll go without the shield for a while."

She smiled as she gathered her belongings again. "Excellent. Now let's find the next herd… And don't forget to bring the cart."

He groaned.

It was going to be a long day.

* * *

Just like the previous day, it was dark by the time the couple had returned to Gaia's house. After refining Riaku's swordsmanship against droves of the easiest monsters around, Kira had given him a one-on-one lesson in which they ironed out some of the kinks from his fighting style. The work was as grueling as it was embarrassing for Riaku, though he had to admit that he was making progress. By the end of the day he had noticed improvement to both his offensive and defensive skills with the sword, giving him the confidence he needed to not overly rely on his shield.

Once they had returned to town, Riaku struggling to pull a cart piled high with dead anteka, they stopped by a few places to sell the parts; armorers bought the fur, butchers bought the meat, and blacksmiths took the horns. If the rack was particularly impressive, local interior designers with an affinity for rustic chic would snatch them up for twice the zenny.

The rest of the night was spent relaxing, with Riaku especially needing the rest. The three had anteka heart for dinner, coming to the consensus that the dish actually wasn't that bad. Afterward Riaku made his way to his room, taking note of the progress being made on the house, before collapsing into the bed as a sore mess.

It hadn't taken him long to fall asleep, though a reoccurring dream plagued him- one in which he climbed a familiar mountain, chasing after a woman's voice. The voice was vague but powerful, and always came from just above him, or just around the next corner. He didn't know why, but… He just knew that he had to meet her. At one point he finally reached the peak of the mountain, only to find a tigrex waiting there for him. The beast roared before he could react, flinging Riaku off the side of the cliff, screaming as he rapidly approached the rocks below…

He jolted awake, his heart hammering and pillow slick with sweat. He looked around the room with wide eyes for a moment before realizing that it had been a dream. With a sigh he fell back into bed, his body still exhausted from the day's events…

* * *

"Really? I finally get to hunt a big monster?" He asked with excitement in his blue eyes.

Kira chuckled as she took a bite of her toast. "Yes, today you'll be hunting a big monster. I think you're ready now that you've had a chance to hone your skills a bit more."

Riaku threw his fist into the air victoriously. "That's great! What am I hunting? Something really powerful, right?"

"Some would say," She muttered before taking a drink of her tea, "It's a handful, that's for sure."

"Well, what is it!?"

"While your enthusiasm is appreciated, try to calm down." She said before politely wiping her face with a napkin, "Even if Gaia stepped out for a bit, you need to get into the habit of acting like my mentor when we're in town. If people overhear a party leader being given directions from his own student, they _might_ grow suspicious."

He sighed before lowering his voice. "Alright, _now_ can you tell me what I'm hunting?"

"I'll tell you when we reach our destination," She answered before standing from the table and grabbing her sword, along with the sack she had been lugging around for the past few days. "Shall we get going?"

Riaku vigorously nodded his head, and so the two went on their way. While they walked through town, waving back at its inhabitants as they made their way toward the main gate, Riaku's eyes shifted toward the bag Kira was toting. It was the same burlap sack that her tigrex materials had come in, though lately she had been storing her knitting supplies in there as well. He had often wondered what she was working on, though it seemed she didn't want him finding out. Whenever he trained or hunted small monsters for practice, she would perch herself on high rocks or even on the branches of large trees to continue her project while simultaneously watching over him. All he knew for sure was that it involved stitching things together, and likely had something to do with the tigrex parts.

He eyed the sack with a look that morphed from curiosity to disdain. They were her spoils, he knew that… But he could hardly stomach the thought of such valuable materials being wasted on arts and crafts. With the amount of tigrex parts in that bag, he could have made a better sword, or maybe a piece of armor.

Whatever the case, his thoughts about the bag ended when Riaku noticed three familiar faces huddled near the village gates.

"Alright, so we know it's east of this mountain… And given its biology, it probably sticks to flat ground. That means that it's likely hiding…" Rinko's voice trailed off as Riaku and Kira made to walk by, his deep brown eyes hardening into a glare once they rose above the map that he was showing his party members. "Hey, Haidoji."

It was less of a statement than a command, and not one that Riaku necessarily wanted to listen to. While Kira's eyes shifted to Rinko curiously, Riaku continued to act as though he hadn't just heard his own name.

Rinko growled in annoyance before speaking up in a much louder tone. " _Hey_ , _Haidoji_!"

Riaku slowed to a stop with a sigh before turning to face Rinko. "What is it?"

"Who's this girl you've got walking with you?" He asked as he looked Kira up and down, "I've never seen her around here before."

"Yeah… I'm pretty sure I'd remember a face like _hers_." Orman agreed, his cheeks a bit pinker than usual.

Kira smirked before turning to properly face them. "My name's Kira. I'm in Riaku's party."

Rinko cocked an eyebrow at her. "You're tagging along with _that_ punk?"

She placed a hand on her hip, though her expression didn't waver. "And what if I am?"

His predatory gaze shifted to Riaku and back before lowering to her coat. "That's an interesting Mafumofu set you've got on… Reminds me of what the heroes of this village used to wear. Is it authentic?"

"It is."

He gave her a slow nod before his lips curled into a smile. "Tell you what… We have an open slot in our party for this lagombi hunt we're about to go on, and I like your style. I prefer long swords, myself."

He paused to tug on the strap across his chest for emphasis. "You ditch Haidoji over there to join us, and you could walk away with some good materials… Not to mention a nice bit of cash. What do you say?"

Riaku tensed as Rinko held his hand out for her to shake. Kira eyed the hand thoughtfully for a moment before lifting her eyes to his face once again.

"I'm sorry, but I must decline."

Orman's eyes shot wide while Rinko's jaw clenched. He slowly lowered his hand back to his side before shifting his weight to favor one foot.

"You'd rather hunt with a weakling like _him_ ," He began in a low voice, "Than three rising stars like _us_? People who actually passed our exams, and have a flawless hunting record to boot?"

"Yes." She answered immediately.

His eyes narrowed. "That doesn't make sense, though. Unless… What, do you _like_ him or something?"

Kira's eyes narrowed back at him as her smirk deepened. It was only when Mikuna finally spoke up that the staring match between the two ended.

"Rinko, you're making a fool of yourself." She said in that cool voice of hers, "Didn't you hear what the Elder said? Riaku has been assigned a party leader. The Guild saw him fit to train new hunters."

" _Train_ _them_?" He asked with a bit more edge than Riaku would have liked, "This guy's only large kill was a tigrex that no one saw him hunt. That's a pretty flimsy record to start training people off of, if you ask me."

"Regardless," Kira shot back, "The fact remains that he _is_ in that position. Do you not have enough faith in the Guild or your own Elder to accept their ruling?"

He chuffed sarcastically. "All I'm saying is that, if you want someone to train you, you can do much better than _him_. This weakling couldn't even kill a bulldrome a couple of days ago. We had to save his sorry ass from the side of a cliff- and you're telling me that you're _okay_ with that?"

Kira hummed, raising a thoughtful finger to her cheek as she eyed Rinko. "So, then, let's say that Riaku killed a bulldrome _today_ … And on his own, too, rather than on a team of three. If that were to happen, would he have redeemed himself?"

Rinko grunted. "Sure. Not that it would ever happen, though."

She chuckled in her throat. "Then it's settled. If Riaku gets a confirmed kill on a bulldrome by the end of the day, then you can no longer hold that previous hunt against him."

Rinko gave her an odd look for a moment, as if trying to figure her out, before shrugging. "Fine. If Haidoji can really pull that off, then I'll never tell the cliff story again. Hunter's honor."

Kira hummed before walking past Rinko to the open contract board. Her eyes trailed down it before finding rest on a particular paper. She plucked it off the board with a small smile before returning to Riaku's side and holding the paper toward him.

"Read that aloud, if you'd please."

Riaku's blue eyes flickered from Kira's face to the differing expressions on his three previous classmates before he accepted the paper and began to read it.

"Bronze-Crown Large Bulldrome Sighted Near Pokke Village. Proceed with Caution."

Rinko chuckled lowly. "You're really gonna take that quest, Haidoji? You sure you're up for it?"

Riaku's mind flashed back to his last bulldrome hunt. The monster had been fast, powerful, and incredibly tough, nearly knocking him to his death within minutes of the fight starting. Imagining going into that fight again was an intimidating prospect, to be sure…

… But he had grown a lot since then, too. He had been training like mad, and Kira had taught him a lot of new things as well. As daunting as it was to imagine returning to a fight like that, he somehow knew that he could handle it if he really tried.

"I am." He answered as he folded the paper up and tucked it into his pocket, "This time I'll do it for sure."

A tense moment passed in which the two rivals eyed one another before Rinko shrugged. "It's your funeral. Don't worry, though… I'll break the news to Gaia when you don't come back."

With that he returned to referencing the map with his questmates, leaving Riaku with a venomous glare. He was tempted to say something biting in return but couldn't open his mouth before Kira tugged at his arm. He shot her a curious look, to which she smiled.

"Clock's ticking."

He shot one last look at Rinko's group before nodding and setting out of the village. It was only once they had made it a safe distance from the settlement that he spoke up again.

"Why'd you stand up for me back there?"

A red eye shifted to him curiously. "Whatever do you mean?"

"With Rinko," He clarified, "You didn't have to defend me like that… So why did you?"

"Riaku… There's something you really must understand." She began, looking straight ahead once more. "We Origin Monsters are very proud… Therefore, when someone belittles our mate- a naïve brat, at that- we _can't_ and _won't_ take it on the cheek. You and I act as one, and your honor is my own."

He eyed her in surprise for a moment before diverting his gaze with a small blush. "Thanks… That's really cool."

She hummed. "Somehow I know you'd do the same for me."

"Absolutely."

Her hand intertwined with his own as they made their way toward their destination, a fair walk to the east. Riaku was surprised, however, when she released his hand at the foot of the mountain in question.

"This is the edge of the bulldrome's range," She began, "Now for the conditions of this hunt… First of all, you must go alone. I'll wait for you here."

"Right."

"Next," She murmured as her eyes lowered to his coat, "I'll be holding on to your chest armor."

This condition wasn't as easy to agree to as the previous.

"My _armor_?" He asked in disbelief, "You want me to fight that thing without protection?"

"Yes," She answered simply, "Now hand it over."

"Can I at least ask why?"

"You may."

"Then _why?_ "

"Believe it or not, this was always in the plan." She answered with a shrug, "I've spent the past few days training you to be more confident in your agility and sword skills. Having a shield is one thing, but if you can't properly dodge, then you'll struggle in battle."

Her eyes narrowed at him. "Think of this as a test on what I've taught you over the last few days. Trust me, I wouldn't give you a challenge like this without knowing you can succeed."

He shot an unsure look at the mountain before extending it to her. "I'm glad that you believe in me that much… But isn't this kind of risky? I mean, if something goes wrong and I die up there, humanity is basically doomed."

"Riaku," She began in a firm voice, "You _need_ to have more faith in yourself. You've trained hard for this, and you're more than ready to handle some pig. You'd also do well not to question your mate each time an opportunity to do so presents itself."

He made to argue, though she had a special way of discouraging him from doing so with little more than a look. It was so effective that he'd nearly consider it a talent.

"Fine," He groaned before beginning to remove his coat, leaving his chest unprotected save for a thin undershirt. "I hope that hypothermia doesn't get to me before the bulldrome does."

She narrowed her eyes at him as he handed the article to her. "Stop complaining. If it helps, I'll have a reward waiting here for you if you succeed."

"A reward?" He perked up considerably at hearing that. "What kind of-"

"Just go, Riaku."

He scowled at her before turning for the mountain and beginning his ascent. Luckily this mountain wasn't very big in comparison to the others that were nearby, and the bulldrome's territory was contained exclusively within it. Still, a mountain is a mountain, and Riaku found himself breaking out the tracking skills that Kira had shown him a couple of days prior.

As he picked up the trail, he thought back to his training with her. It had been about five days since she had appeared in his bedroom on that fateful morning, and each day since had been packed to the brim with exhaustive training- whether it be lessons on battle strategy and monster biology, or gargantuan quotas on a variety of small monsters. From anteka he began to hunt bullfango, and from bullfango, he began to hunt blango.

He shivered at remembering the giant white baboons in question. Their sharp teeth and claws, matched with an uncanny ability to hit him square in the face with snowballs from virtually any distance, had made for an… _Interesting_ hunt.

All of this practice wasn't without benefit, though. Riaku felt considerably more comfortable with using his sword and shield, and selling pelts had been a fairly lucrative habit. Not to mention the impressive amount of choice meat that Gaia now had stocked up at home. Honestly, his biggest worry in that regard was how they were going to go through it all before it spoiled.

Riaku was broken from his thoughts by a peculiar noise- one that he immediately recognized. His blue eyes shot to a nearby boulder, which he quickly ducked behind before peaking out into an adjoining clearing.

Sure enough, a small group of bullfango filed into the field, rooting through the snow with a variety of different grunts and snorts. He watched closely for a moment until his brow furrowed with the arrival of a new monster- one that was considerably bigger than the boars that had preceded it.

The bulldrome walked into the clearing with a confidence deserving of a giant pig. Its warty hide was covered in bristling fur, a mane of which took on a silver coloration around its head. Giant tusks sprouted from either side of its panting mouth, twisting into sharp tips that were sure to deter a majority of predators.

Not Riaku, though.

With a deep breath, the young hunter nodded to himself before unsheathing his sword. Given the openness of the clearing, he knew that there was no way to sneak up on his targets… He would have to face them head-on.

There was a strong sense of déjà vu as he approached the herd, the bullfango turning to eye him cautiously as he drew closer. He swallowed hard when the bulldrome did the same, and when its hooved feet began to paw at the snow in warning, the grip on his sword's handle tightened.

What ensued was a moment of absolute chaos. The bulldrome let out a rattling bellow as the three bullfango charged at the intruder. Riaku calmly walked toward them as they barreled on, and it wasn't until the first was but a few yards in front of him that he made his move.

At first he sidestepped to the left of the first charge, letting the would-be attacker pass him before he rolled forward in time for the other two to follow suit. He straightened from the roll and immediately sought out the bulldrome, knowing that he would have a few seconds before the other monsters slowed to a stop and took aim again.

Said bulldrome was still watching from its original distance, though as Riaku began to run toward it, sword at his side, the massive boar lowered its ram-like head and began pawing at the ground again. The distance closing between them vanished even faster once the monster began to charge back, content with the thought of colliding with Riaku. In a clash of that sort, there was no mystery as to who would win. Luckily, Riaku had learned a little trick during his training with bullfango, and was ready to test it against a monster on a larger scale.

As the bulldrome tore through the snow at a speed that was impressive given its weight, Riaku ran into a crouch that sprung into a leap. He tucked his legs tightly to his body, allowing him to slip between the gap in the bulldrome's tusks as it charged beneath him. Immediately after, he extended his legs once again, planting his feet atop the boar's back. With a pivot he fell into a grappling position, holding onto the mane with his shield hand, the handle of which was looped around his wrist.

All of this happened in the blink of an eye, the product of countless hours of practice, as well as agility and strength training.

The fact that his crazy strategy had worked barely had the time to wash over Riaku before the bulldrome realized what was happening. It began to thrash around in a panic, screaming and grunting as it threw its horns this way and that, bucking its back legs in a frantic attempt to shake Riaku off- a strategy that had nearly worked, forcing the teen to lower his sword in favor of wrapping his arm around its massive neck. Finally, though, it tired out from its prolonged resistance and paused to recover.

This was the exact moment that Riaku had been waiting for.

Tightening his legs around the bulldrome's back, he sat up and scooted forward until he was sitting on its haunches. Not wasting a moment, he gripped the handle of his sword with both hands before driving it downward, right into the cove between its head and shoulders.

The blade, thrust with all the force he could muster, pierced the tough outer hide and carved through fat and muscle before reaching its ultimate target- the weak spot where the spinal cord met the skull. Upon this connection severing, the boar fell completely lifeless, collapsing into the snow with a dull thud.

Riaku's heavy breathing formed clouds in front of his face as he stood from the bulldrome's back, gripping the handle of his sword before drawing it out of the neck with a bit of a struggle. Upon retrieving the weapon, he looked down at the three remaining monsters who watched him tentatively from several yards away. He hopped off his kill's back before raising the bloody sword for them to see.

He wasn't sure if they could comprehend what the gesture meant, though it achieved the same result either way. Within a moment the three turned for the nearest outlet from the clearing before trotting off single-file. Riaku made sure that they had completely gone before turning to look down at his trophy.

It was only then that he felt the full weight of what he had just done. Riaku looked down at the giant boar with a chuckle, flicking the blood from his sword before returning it to his scabbard. Looking at the beast now, the wicked tusks and massive size made for quite an intimidating opponent… Though he had hardly felt any fear at all throughout the battle. Maybe it was thanks to all the training, or the vote of confidence that Kira had given him before the hunt, but it almost seemed… Easier than it was before. Its movements seemed slower, and although Riaku hadn't suffered a direct hit, the thrashing beneath him when he had mounted it wasn't as impressive as he had expected.

_Maybe I really am getting stronger._

He chuckled again before fishing out his hunter's knife and getting to work. Within moments a bloody hoof was hanging from a loop in his belt, and he began making his way back from whence he came.

When he reached the foot of the mountain, he noticed Kira sitting on a rock near where they had parted. His spirits lifted even further when he saw her, as he was excited to show off his first big kill, though the feeling morphed into confusion when she quickly hid something behind her back at his approach.

"My, that was quick." She said as her eyes traveled up and down his body, "And you're still in one piece, as well."

"Yup," He replied with a grin, patting the hoof proudly, "I took it down in one hit, too, using that vaulting technique from the other day."

"I see," She smiled at him, "I told you that you were ready."

"Yeah, I guess you were right," He chuckled as he rubbed the back of his head, "Maybe all I needed was a little confidence, after all… Anyway, where's my coat? I'm freezing over here."

"Oh, that…" She looked down bashfully, her cheeks pinking a bit. "Close your eyes for a moment."

"Huh? Why would I-"

"Just do it, already! And no peeking, or else I'll have you pull that bulldrome back to Pokke on your own."

That threat was good enough reason for him to comply. He closed his eyes, and after a moment felt the warmth of his coat being draped over his shoulders. Something was different about it, though… It felt heavier on him for some reason.

"Alright, you may look now."

His eyes opened before immediately shooting to his left shoulder- and upon seeing the drastic change that had been made, nearly popped out of his head.

Stitched into the shoulder was a large patch of leather, upon which were evenly spaced tigrex scales, carefully arranged by color. The light orange ones were nearest his collar, from which the scales darkened until they became deep blue at the seam of the coat's arm. Woven between each scale were knit borders alternating between pure white, teal green, and deep red. As if this wasn't enough, two tigrex teeth evenly lined the border near the end of his shoulder, as if leading to the piece of claw that protruded from the very end, its tip dulled as it curved inward toward Riaku's head. Upon seeing the first patch, he immediately checked on the other, finding that the two were virtually identical.

"You… Made this for me?" He spoke after a second, his surprised eyes seeking out her own, " _This_ is what you've been working on the past few days?"

She nodded, her eyes light above a faint smile.

"But why?" He asked, "I mean… Don't get me wrong, it's _amazing_ , I just- patches like these are for heroes, you know? For people who have done something great… So why would you make them for someone like me?"

"Someone like you..?" She echoed before shaking her head. "Riaku, the tradition of decorating Mafumofu armor to indicate merit was started with _me_. If _anyone_ is qualified to decide who is worthy of a patch, it's me… And _I_ find _you_ worthy."

"I'm flattered, but why?" He repeated.

She hummed, her eyes rising with thought. "You've accepted your destiny as the catalyst, as someone who will risk his life again and again to defend humanity. You work hard during your training and, just moments ago, proved that you've made vast improvement."

Her eyes fell to meet his own again, a warm fondness within them. "If those things aren't worthy of a patch… Then I don't know what is. Besides, I _wanted_ to make something for you. Something special, as a token of affection… For my mate."

His eyes widened even further as he continued to stare at her. The wind was causing her hair to sway behind her as she smiled at him with a small blush. He could still hardly wrap his head around the fact that someone as incredible as her cared for someone like him… And now, she had given him an incredible gift to express her feelings. A gift that, until now, he had looked down on her for making…

"I'm sorry," He began as he avoided her gaze, "Kira, I don't deserve someone as amazing as you are…"

"Riaku-"

"No, let me finish." He looked into her eyes, barely holding the wetness back from his own. "I don't deserve you… But I'm going to. I'm going to work twice as hard from now on, so that I can be a mate you're proud of."

Her eyes grew big in surprise as she stared at him. After a moment, however, they eased into a smile.

"You want to be a better mate?" She asked with a returning blush.

He gave a hard nod. "Absolutely."

"In that case…" She began in a quiet voice, "Kiss me."

He didn't hesitate. The request had caught him off-guard, sure, but as soon as he realized that he had indeed heard what he thought he had, he stepped close. One hand found her side while the other met her cheek, and within a moment, their lips were locked together.

They remained like that for a while… It was hard to tell exactly how long. Finally, though, they parted, opening their eyes simultaneously.

"Was that… Better?" He asked.

She hummed, her eyes narrowing before she pulled away from his touch, turning to face the direction of Pokke.

"… Considerably so." She answered after a moment, a red eye assessing him from over her shoulder. "Now, let's go get a retrieval cart for your kill."

With that she began walking away, Riaku watching her for a moment with a growing grin before silently thrusting his fist into the air in celebration. Once his victory dance had been completed, he jogged to catch up with her, a bit more of a bounce in his step than usual.

He felt like a new man, a _real_ hunter for once… Though innumerable tests awaited him on the journey ahead, and one of them was closer than he could have ever imagined.


	8. Power

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Training continues, even as Riaku contends with a new reoccurring nightmare. Eventually this disruption becomes too much, and the young hunter sets off to put his mind at ease. What he finds at his destination, however, is the last thing he could have expected...

The hours that followed Riaku's bulldrome hunt went by as you might expect. He and Kira returned to town and showed the Guild the dismembered hoof as proof of his kill, then waited around until a retrieval cart returned with the giant boar atop it. At Riaku's behest they left the cart out in front of the Guild until Rinko's group had made it back from their lagombi hunt, though the trophy received much less interest from the townsfolk than the tigrex had garnered just a few days ago. In fact, more people stopped by to comment on Riaku's new tigrex shoulder guards than the dead monster beside him.

To his relief, though, the modifications to his armor were different enough from Pokke's celebratory patches that they didn't warrant negativity toward him. He had feared that some people might draw comparisons between what he wore and what the old Pokke heroes had donned, and therefore see the change as self-aggrandizement on his part- though this worry seemed unfounded, as more and more passers-by signaled their approval toward the upgrade without even a single word of dissent.

Eventually Rinko's group returned with a large disembodied paw as proof of their successful hunt. They paused before entering the Guild Hall, however, to address Riaku's own kill.

"So, you did it after all," Rinko had said with crossed arms, "And not just that, but you had enough time to work on your set as well. I gotta admit, Haidoji, I didn't expect you to pull it off."

Riaku rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "Thanks, I guess… But actually, Kira stitched this together for me while I was out hunting."

Rinko's brown eyes swept to the girl in question, who was idly observing the conversation from beside Riaku.

A moment passed before he responded. "You did a really good job. If this hunter thing doesn't pan out for you, maybe you can become my personal armorer."

Her eyes narrowed as the corners of her lips raised into a faint smirk. "Thank you for the compliment, but I don't see that as a realistic possibility."

He shrugged. "Suit yourself. Anyway, let's go show this paw to the Guild staff."

With that he made to walk away, his party in tow, though they couldn't make it to the Hall doors before Kira spoke up again.

"You haven't forgotten your promise, have you?"

Rinko paused before cutting a look at her from over his shoulder. "I haven't. As I said, I won't bring up that cliff story again. Hunter's honor."

Her smile grew marginally. "Very good."

Rinko grunted, then turned back for the Guild. Once the three of them had made their way inside, Kira and Riaku decided to call it a day and head home. By this point the sun was beginning to set over the settlement, meaning that they wouldn't get much training done even if they did head out again. With that said they began the trek back to Gaia's house, arriving at the gate just in time to see the construction team head home for the day, taking spare tarp and lumber back with them.

"Do you think they finished with the renovations?" Riaku asked as he eyed the new additions to the building- to his left was a whole new wing of the house, while the right had a large square expansion added onto it.

"Hopefully," Kira responded as they made their way for the entrance, "It would be nice to have a proper bed to sleep in… The living quarters floor is a bit stiff, even with a sleeping mat."

Riaku smiled apologetically as he held the door for her. "Yeah, sorry about that… We really didn't have anywhere else for you to sleep."

"You could have always given me _your_ bed," She mused as she entered and began removing her boots, "Is that not what a selfless mate would have done?"

"I _did_ offer you my bed!" He reminded her, "The second night you were here, remember? _You_ turned it down!"

Her eyes rose thoughtfully. "Perhaps… But the chivalrous thing to do would be to insist that I take it, even after I declined. That course of action would be more fitting for a hero, wouldn't it?"

He sighed. "In my defense, I've learned not to question your decisions. How was I supposed to know what you really wanted? I'm not a mind reader, you know."

"Oh, I'm painfully aware of that fact."

"What's _that_ supposed to mean?"

Kira couldn't answer before the door to the bathroom opened, a wet-haired Gaia emerging in a towel.

"I thought I heard the sound of kiddos arguing," She said with a chuckle, "How did it go today?"

"Great," Riaku shot a curious glance at the doorway she had just come from. "Did you just get out of a bath?"

Her eyes widened as she snapped her fingers in recollection. "That's right, you two haven't seen yet! They finished the bathhouse this morning- come take a look!"

The two followed Gaia into the newly completed room, and Riaku could hardly believe his eyes when he saw what awaited them. A large- underlined, _large_ \- in-ground bath took up a majority of the room, with a stone faucet of comparable size on one end and a set of steps on the other. The remainder of the room's space was taken up by benches and hanging mirrors, not to mention shelves lined with towels and buckets, as well as soap and similar products.

"This thing is great," Gaia said with a light clap, "It draws from an underground well that's refilled by melting snow. It can heat the water using this fire monster part that's imbedded in the pipes- I forget exactly what the workers called it- but it really works a trick!"

"That's awesome and all," Riaku began with a cocked eyebrow, "But… Where's the toilet and sink? Aren't those… You know, a bit more important?"

"Oh, that!" Gaia turned from the room and pointed across the living area to the new hallway at the foot of the stairs. "At the end of that hall is our new bathroom. It's already hooked up and ready to go, though the bedrooms leading to it aren't finished just yet…"

She shot Kira an apologetic look. "I'm sorry sweetheart, but it will take another couple of days for all of the furniture to arrive… Ordering ten beds at once turned out to be a bit of a tall order for our little town, so they're importing everything from Bherna."

Kira shook her head with a reassuring smile on her face. "I don't mind, if it's only for a few more days. Besides, beds made from Bhernan wool are definitely worth the wait!"

Gaia smiled back before yawning and turning from the room. "Anywho, I think I'm going to turn in a bit early tonight... I spent all morning pulling turnips to afford enough toiletries for everyone who will be staying here, and the next batch will be ready to pull in a few days' time. Might as well rest up while I can!"

Kira nodded. "That seems like a good idea."

Gaia chuckled as she made her way to her own bedroom, pausing in the doorway to give the two one last grin. "I'm so excited to see this house full of promising young hunters! My husband would be so proud… And to think that my son will be training them, as well! What a funny world…"

Kira covered her mouth as she giggled in the way that she only did around Gaia. "It _is_ an interesting twist of fate, isn't it?"

"You can say that again." Gaia agreed before stepping completely into her room. "Goodnight, you two! I encourage you both to try the bath out before bed… And there's still plenty of meat in the cellar for dinner."

Both nodded, saying their goodnights before Gaia's door shut behind her. No sooner had she left the two alone, Riaku and Kira exchanged looks.

"So, do you want to take a bath first?" He asked.

She shook her head. "You can go."

He narrowed his eyes at her suspiciously. "Are you _sure_?"

"Quite sure."

"Positive?"

"Absolutely."

"And you're confident in that answer?" He asked skeptically, "This isn't one of those 'no means yes' situations, like with the bed?"

She chuckled before turning and making her way to her sleeping mat, which was spread on the floor beside the table. "Just start your bath, Riaku. I'll have my own soon enough."

He eyed her carefully even as she sat and began reading a book- one of the ancient ones from Elder Maria's library, by the look of it.

"Okay…" He said slowly as he backed into the room, his eyes not leaving her sitting form until the door had clicked shut between them.

It was only then that his true giddiness broke out. With a chuckle he ran toward the large faucet, turning it toward the side marked 'Hot' and watching in awe as steaming water began to flow from the giant bit of pipe. Things like running water and indoor plumbing were generally reserved for the more affluent, people like high-rank monster hunters and successful entrepreneurs. Given Gaia's modest income, the thought of owning a bath like this had been a complete pipe dream for them until this point.

That fact was evident in Riaku's inexperience, as he forgot to plug the drain before making the water run and, as a consequence, spent several moments wondering why the water level in the bath wasn't rising. Finally, though, he recognized his mistake and corrected it- leading to a full bath in a surprisingly short amount of time, given its size.

He was so excited to have his first hot bath that he rushed through his initial cleaning, disrobing in record time before tossing his armor onto an empty bench. Then he took a bucket from one of the shelves and filled it with bathwater before dumping it onto himself, relishing in the warmth of the water as he cleaned his body and hair. One bucket later, the soapy water was drawn into a drain in the floor and Riaku was ready for the main event.

He practically dived into the water, surfacing after a moment while thanking the Great Force that the bath water hadn't been completely scalding upon his entry- just pleasantly hot. He made his way to the edge of the bath and draped his arms along the border, letting out a contented sigh as the only sounds within the room were occasional drippings from the faucet.

That was, until the door swung open. Riaku shot a surprised glance in that direction, finding Kira closing the room off behind her.

"Uh… Kira?"

Her red eyes shifted to him as proof that she had heard his voice, though her only response was a mischievous smirk. Riaku watched in absolute amazement as she crossed to the benches and began to undo the fastens of her coat, the weight of her actions not registering in his mind until she let the garment slide off her shoulders, exposing her back to him.

His eyes widened before he spoke up in a terse whisper. " _What are you doing?_ "

"What does it look like I'm doing?" She asked calmly as a red eye shifted to look at him from over her bare shoulder, "I'm getting ready for a bath."

He was going to give some cheeky comeback to her sarcasm, followed by a declaration that they really shouldn't be naked in the same room together- though as she grabbed the waistline of her pants and bent down, removing them in a single fluid movement, the words died on his tongue. He stared at the milky skin of her legs and rear for a long moment as she carefully folded her clothes and set them beside his own.

It was only once she was halfway through cleaning herself on the bench that he learned how to speak again.

"Why are you doing this?" He asked with a red face, the product of more than just the bath's temperature. "You _know_ this is risky- if Gaia finds out, I'll never hear the end of it!"

She hummed as she poured a bucket over herself, rinsing off the soap and shampoo before standing and turning to face him, exposing her entire body to him in the process.

"The whole point of having a bath this size is to build rapport with one another… It's a common practice, especially in places like Yukumo, where natural hot springs are plentiful." She paused as she tentatively dipped her toes in the water. "The benefits of participating in mixed baths are quite numerous, as it promotes understanding and trust between its participants. Besides, if we're quiet then Gaia won't know."

Riaku swallowed hard, fighting to tear his eyes away from the area of interest before him.

 _Two_ areas of interest, to be exact.

Two areas of _immense_ interest, to be absolutely precise.

Finally, though, he managed to pry his gaze from the soft pinks that stood out from her flawless white skin, averting his gaze with a blush that he was sure burned hotter than the water around him.

"Even if you say those things… Isn't this a bit much?"

"Hm? Why do you say that?" She asked as she finally waded in with him, "After all, you've already seen me without clothes in my other form."

He briefly recalled her natural form- a horselike dragon covered in white fur and blue scales. Upon closer inspection, he had recently learned that it also had a dark blue streak along either of its sides in a fashion that vaguely mimicked a lightning bolt. The same dark blue was used in bands that ran down all four of her legs- which sported the same bristly white fur that also covered her mane and tail.

That form was majestic and beautiful in its own right… Though what he had just seen was in a league all its own, with unblemished skin sculpted into intimate feminine curves. He had only seen them for a moment or two, and yet knew that they were forever etched into his brain.

"Your other form is… Different." He answered after a long moment.

"I see…" She murmured, "Well then, it's good to know that at least one of my forms elicits this reaction from you. It's reassuring to see my mate gawk at my body… Speaking of which, you really _should_ look at me while I'm speaking with you."

"O-Oh, right…"

He did as he was told, shifting his gaze to look into her bright red eyes. While he had been looking away, she had made it to the spot beside him, and was lowered into the bath enough that anything beneath her breasts was obscured by the water. Even so, they proved to be quite the distraction on their own…

"Much better," She said softly, a blush warming her cheeks- though he didn't know if it was from the heat of the bath or having just stripped naked for her partner. "Now then, let's talk."

"Talk?" He echoed, having a hard time deciding what he should be looking at during this conversation. "About what?"

"Anything," She answered, "That's the whole point of this bath, after all… Do you have any worries to share, or questions for me?"

He thought for a moment before remembering something, a bit of curiosity that had been bothering him for the past few days.

"Actually, yeah…" He began as his own blush began to subside, "It's about my role in all of this Ancient Council stuff."

"What about it?"

"It's just…" He averted his eyes, raising a hand to rub the back of his head sheepishly as he did so. "The first day that we met, you told me that you'd 'share' your element with me. That implies that you'll have less of it for yourself, right?"

"I believe so," She answered as she draped one of her own arms over the bath's border, "I'm still researching the topic, though it seems that I'll be able to permanently split my electricity with you… In doing so, I'll become weaker, though you'll no longer need me to give you bits of my element through contact. Theoretically, we would both have half the strength that I currently possess- a blow for me that would require intensive training to make up for, though it's a great asset to _your_ power as an individual."

"Gotcha…" He answered as he scratched his chin with thought, "I was afraid of that."

"Afraid? Why?"

He sighed. "What's the point of me having every element if it's just a weaker version of what the Origins already had? I mean, in that case, wouldn't it just be better to round up a resistance for yourself and fight the Council at your full strength?"

She hummed. "I see… So you're curious as to why there's a need for a catalyst in this situation. Is that it?"

He nodded, and she fell silent for a moment before answering. "I suppose that there are a couple of answers to that question- neither of which are explicitly stated in the prophesy, though I can assert them from my own knowledge."

"Okay then, I'm all ears."

"First of all, your elemental proclivities…" She began after another pause, "True, you're halving the strength of a valuable Origin Monster for your own benefit, and your elemental strength after doing so is also weaker than that of an Origin who hasn't yet split their power. However, there's a benefit to this process, and it's that with each element you gain, you become more versatile. Say, for example, you were to accumulate every known element; although none of your individual elements would be at the level of your opposition, you're guaranteed to have your enemy's weakness up your sleeve. That makes you an all-purpose fighter who can threaten any given member of the Council."

He thought about it for a minute. "That makes sense, but it still doesn't answer my question. If you would be more powerful without me, then why not assemble a group of Origins on your own to fight the Council? Wouldn't it be easier to recruit a monster for each element, then switch them out as needed?"

To his surprise, Kira chuckled at hearing that. "You have a lot to learn about Origin Monsters, Riaku… As I've said before, we tend to be incredibly proud. Honestly, it's a miracle that something like the Council even exists. Even then, it's had its fair share of defectors as well as Origins who all-out refuse to live by another's rules. My guess is that we need a uniting force to bring us together- thus your namesake, the 'catalyst'. Your very existence is the bridge between the monsters' world and the humans'. My hope is that you have something to offer each potential recruit- something great enough that it's worth overcoming our differences and fighting for."

Her eyes lowered. "If an Origin doesn't see what _I_ see in you, then they could very likely turn into a foe rather than a friend. We'll have to prepare for the former while hoping for the latter if we want to succeed."

He let out a small, nervous laugh. "When you put it like that, it feels like a lot of pressure… I mean, I've never really been good at making people like me. I'm worried that it won't be any different with Origin Monsters."

She eyed him carefully for a moment before speaking up again. "Give me your hand."

"My hand? What are you-"

"Just do it, Riaku." She said sternly, her red eyes flashing.

He hesitated at first but knew better than to go against her when she used that voice. He held his hand out in her direction, her expression easing at his compliance. Then she took his in her own and pulled it toward her chest until his palm was resting against the skin above her left breast. At first his eyes widened, as he thought that she was trying to get him to grope her or something- though her next words dispelled that possibility.

"Do you feel it?" She asked while staring into his eyes, "Do you feel how fast my heart is beating?"

He focused on the warmth of the soft skin against his palm, and after a moment noticed what she was referring to- he could feel her pulse through her chest, her heart beating much faster than you would expect from someone relaxing in a bath.

"Yeah…" He mumbled after a second, "I feel it. Why are you-"

"-Because I'm with _you_ , Riaku."

His surprised look shifted from her face to his hand and back. "What do you mean?"

"Well, it's true that my heartrate increased even more once you touched me…" She admitted as she removed her hand from his, "But just being near you does this to me. Not all of the time… But often enough that I've come to expect it. I get excited when I'm around you- not just because you're my mate, but also because I sense the potential within you, and it's incredible to think about what you could become."

She gave him a warm smile. "I came to this village having already decided that you would be my mate, and even then, my feelings for you have grown faster than I could have predicted. _That_ is what I hope the other Origins will sense in you as well. True, you may have been marked an outcast from the humans… But maybe that's because you're _not_ completely human. To an Origin Monster, however- well, to me, at least- you're _very_ good at making others like you."

He continued to stare at her in surprise for a moment before easing into a smile. A _real_ smile- the kind you couldn't keep from your face even if you tried.

"Thank you, Kira." He said with the most heartfelt voice he could muster, "That means a lot to me."

She hummed as her eyes narrowed at him, a smile still playing on her lips. "You know how you could better express your gratitude?"

"No, how?"

"Kiss me."

He was happy to oblige. However, when her hand returned to its previous spot atop his own after a moment- the palm of which was still unconsciously pressed against her chest- he paused and pulled away from the kiss.

"What are you..?"

"Would you like to touch my breasts, Riaku? I've noticed that you keep looking at them."

His eyes lowered from her lidded gaze to his hand, which was tentatively pulled down a bit as if to demonstrate what she was asking.

"This is a bit… Dangerous, isn't it?" He asked with a conflicted expression.

"Do you want to or not?"

"Do _you_ want me to?" He shot back.

"If I didn't," She purred, "I wouldn't be asking you."

He swallowed hard. Between the evocative expression on her face and the increasing softness of her skin with each inch that his hand was pulled down, it was becoming steadily more difficult for him to say no. Finally, his lust for her outweighed his inhibitions, and he opened his mouth to answer-

When suddenly, there were two knocks on the door.

"Riaku?" Gaia's voice called from the next room, "Where's Kira? She's not in there _with_ you, is she?"

His widened eyes shot for the door and back to the white-haired girl in a panic. When he didn't answer after a moment, the woman realized what his silence meant.

"She _is_ , _isn't_ she?" His adoptive mother asked in a voice that betrayed curiosity for anger, "I _thought_ I heard two voices in there! I go into my room for a few minutes, come back to get a drink, and what do I find? My own son, in the bath with a girl! under _my_ roof!"

"G-Gaia, it's not what it-"

"I don't want to hear any excuses!" She yelled before continuing in a much more sympathetic voice. "Kira, I'm so sorry… I raised him better than this, I really did. He's just a boy, and you know how they are at his age-"

"Gaia, really, I wasn't-"

"-That's enough out of you! Now you leave that poor girl alone!"

"But Gaia-"

"- Riaku Haidoji, you get out of that bath _this_ _instant_!"

Gaia had very rarely used Riaku's last name growing up, though it always held the same meaning; she was pissed, and he had very little time to prepare for the tongue lashing that awaited him. Something primordial clicked in his brain at hearing his full name, an instinct that commanded him to do as he was told, possibly as a mechanism to prolong his survival. As such, he immediately stood from the bath…

Exposing Kira to every inch of his body in the process.

Her red eyes trailed down from his face until they found rest on a particularly intimate area- a sight that brought a suggestive smile to her face.

"I see," She purred once again, her eyes firmly locked onto their target, "So _that's_ what I have to look forward to~"

Riaku's face paled as he shot a look from Kira to the area she was eyeing before quickly covering himself with both hands. Between the embarrassment of being seen naked by a girl for the first time, his immense fear of Gaia, and the lightheadedness of having just gotten out of the bath and/or being seduced by Kira, he couldn't even form a verbal response. Instead, he quickly made his way out of the bath without a word, his mate's still-lidded eyes trailing him as he made his way to the shelves, dried himself with a towel, then put his clothes back on.

A few minutes later he would be subject to a lecture of legendary proportions, as Gaia threw the metaphorical book at him until late in the night- Kira watching the latter half with amusement in her red eyes.

* * *

Riaku bolted awake, his breathing heavy. His widened blue eyes scanned the dim room around him before he sighed and flopped back into bed. It was the same nightmare as usual, the one where he followed a woman's voice up a mountain only to find a tigrex waiting there for him. Despite having had the dream countless times over the past several days, he was always caught off-guard when he reached the top only to have the wyvern's powerful roar send him falling to his death.

His gaze shifted to the window. It was still dark out, though the purple coloration of the sky told him that it was nearing dawn. He groaned.

_No sense in going back to sleep at this point… I might as well start today's training early._

With that thought, he reluctantly stood from bed, stretching with a yawn as he made his way for his armor. Within moments he was geared up and making his way downstairs, eyeing Kira as she slept silently atop her mat on the floor. He walked slowly, being careful not to wake her, though it didn't matter in the end.

"Where are you headed so early?"

His hand froze just as it grasped the doorknob, and he turned to find two red eyes gazing at him through the dark.

"I couldn't sleep, so I thought I'd get a jump on the day." He answered, "I won't go far… Just to the first field that has small monsters to practice on."

She hummed as she lowered her head once more, her eyes closing when she had returned to her sleeping position.

"It's probably for the best. Use that time to limber up, because today's training will be on evasion."

He grimaced at the thought of getting hit repeatedly until he could effectively dodge whatever Kira was using as a learning tool, but grunted in the affirmative.

"Alright. I'll see you in a bit."

With that he made his way outside, closing the door behind him before setting off in search of monsters to hunt. Luckily it wasn't long before he found a herd of anteka, and soon after, he had completely wiped them out. After facing something like a bulldrome, the deer didn't pose much of a challenge… Though fighting the lot at once definitely woke his body up. Once the last of them had fallen, he began to drag them into a pile to retrieve with the cart later.

He had made it through moving the first few when he heard a familiar voice in his head, its tone powerful but words indistinct. He followed the sound of the voice with his eyes until he found himself facing the southwest, his mind conjuring images of a familiar mountain… One he had scaled twice in person, and innumerable times in his dreams. He stared into the distance for a long moment before shaking the thought and returning to the task at hand.

* * *

The blunt end of the sword rapped against his head for the umpteenth time that day, its hardy _thwack_ against his skull an immediate consequence of having misread Kira's movements.

" _Ow_!" He cried out, glaring at her in response to the attack.

She shrugged. "If you don't want to get hit, then dodge."

He rubbed the side of his head, his expression unwavering. "It's not that easy, you know. I'm _trying_ to dodge, but nothing I do is working."

She sighed. "Very well, I'll explain it once more."

" _Please_ _do_."

Her eyes flashed dangerously at his sarcastic tone, but she continued regardless. "You're focusing too much on the end of my sword, which moves faster than you could possibly track. Instead, look at my eyes, hands, and feet."

"But why?" He asked, "I don't see any hands or feet swinging at me."

"Keep behaving this way and you will," She warned before continuing with her prior thought. "The eyes betray intent- wherever my eyes look, I'm considering striking. Hands have to move before the sword does, so if you can read the hands, you can predict which way the blade will swing. Feet do the same, to a lesser extent- keep an eye out for stance changes."

He scratched his chin in thought, going over what he had just heard before gripping his sword's handle with both hands.

"Eyes, feet, and hands… Alright, I think I've got it. Come at me."

"Very well."

Just like countless times prior, Kira lunged until she was within striking distance. The size of her long sword put him at a disadvantage, and it was very tempting to watch the blade in anticipation of the next blow, but he reminded himself of her advice and forced his eyes to remain glued to her own.

A brief flicker of movement to her lower-left. His rapidly shifted a block to his right, the result being a metallic clang as her sword bounced off his own. The success of his action nearly lowered his guard, but he knew that he wasn't out of the woods yet. Next her hands tilted from left to right, and he transferred his defense to the other side- though as her feet spread in the grass below, her hands making a downward circling motion, he realized that it was a feint. He gave a low swing from left to right, his sword deflecting her own halfway through her attempted up-slash.

She immediately backstepped and lowered the tip of her long sword. "Very good. I see you're taking my advice to heart."

He chuckled. "You know, this isn't half-bad when you're not getting hit every time. It's actually kind of fun."

"I'm glad you think so," She smirked at him mischievously, "Because that was only at half of my speed. Next time will be a little faster… Are you ready for that?"

He nodded, his victory from a moment ago putting a confident smile on his face. "Bring it on!"

She nodded back before lunging at him again, her speed in doing so considerably faster than it had previously been. He let out a cry of surprise as he barely managed to block the first two swings. The third, however…

 _Thwack_!

" _Ow_! Dammit, Kira!"

* * *

They sparred until there was no light left to do so, and by the time they had returned to Gaia's house for the night, Riaku was left completely exhausted. After his anteka hunt at dawn, Kira had arrived and told him that they were going in search of more bullfango. Once there she began teaching him a few evasion techniques, something she had called an 'adept' hunting style. The main idea was that you dodge into the attack rather than rolling directly to the side, twisting your body out of harms way before carrying that momentum into a counterattack.

The bullfango had been a perfect target to practice on, as their primary attack was a straightforward charge. Even then, Riaku found himself getting knocked around by the pigs time and time again, his body being clipped by their sides as he tried to figure out the best angle to evade at. Eventually, though, he found an eye for it- and once he had figured that part out, it wasn't long before he learned to transfer the speed of his dodge into a rapid counter.

For most adept hunters, the buck would stop there. Kira, however, had modified it to be offensive from start to finish. Riaku had stared in awe as her body twisted through the air beside a charging bullfango, the tip of her sword cutting a series of lines into her target with each rotation she made. The result was a ribbon of crimson blood that trailed off her sword, spiraling around her white form for a split second before she landed as usual, quickly sprinting up to the now-injured monster and finishing it off in a single hit.

She had ensured that Riaku had all but mastered this technique before trying to train him in another hunting method- this one called 'aerial' style. As the name suggests, this technique involved leaping high into the air to attack a monster's back, the result being a more refined version of his grapple strategy against the bulldrome the other day. Unfortunately Riaku was unable to jump high enough to make it work on anything beside the bullfango, whose lowered posture while charging made the task considerably easier. Kira eventually saw that he would need more physical training before being able to use this style, and instead shifted the lesson toward blocking sword attacks from armed enemies… Thus beginning a relentless and cyclical beatdown as he struggled to keep up with her movements.

After hearing her advice on reading his opponent's body language, though, blocking became much easier to manage. Not that he could face her at full speed just yet, but even she had admitted that he was making progress… And that was good enough for them both, for now.

The two had dinner with Gaia as usual before Riaku excused himself and trudged up to bed. Tired didn't even begin to describe how he was feeling… Though the relief of being able to rest was cut off by dread when he woke up a few hours later, thanks being to a familiar nightmare.

"These damn dreams…" He sighed to himself, "From my village straight to this tigrex stuff… I just can't catch a break."

His eyes rose to the window. It must have been near the same time that he woke up the day prior, as the sky was a familiar shade of purple. He stared outside for a long moment before getting an idea; maybe if he went to the mountain from his dreams, the nightmares would finally go away. Not that he knew much about the human subconscious, but he reckoned that going there for himself and climbing to the top would prove to his mind that there was no threat, and therefore, no reason to linger on the topic.

His decision made, he threw on his hunting equipment and made his way downstairs. He had just reached the door when a familiar voice spoke up.

"Off to train again?"

He looked to the source of the voice, finding that Kira hadn't even opened her eyes to address him this time around. "Yeah."

"Okay, then… Be safe."

He smiled inwardly. "I will."

With that he made his way outside and began the long trek to his destination. The sun slowly began to peak in the distance as his surroundings morphed from buildings to forests and fields, until he eventually found himself at the foot of a large snowy mountain.

Thinking back to when he and the retrieval team came here to collect the Silver-Crown tigrex, he avoided the rugged path that he had first taken in favor of a nearby slope. Before long he had reached the same landing that Kira had killed the tigrex on, the snowy outcrop barren and silent- a sharp contrast from the stormy chaos that had made up that fateful day's hunt. He paused to reminisce about the fight for a moment before his eyes shifted to an incline that would lead even further up the mountain. He nodded to himself, then continued.

Finally, he reached the peak. It was a fairly spacious snowy plateau that offered him an incredible view of the miles of wilderness that surrounded him. He took in the sight for a long moment while a smile tugged at his lips.

"See, brain? Nothing up here but some peace and quiet." He murmured to himself, "No weird voice, no tigrex, no plummet to my doom- just a mountain."

He looked down at the world for another moment before sighing. "I guess I'd better start heading back now… Kira will be furious if she finds out that I wandered off this far without her."

With that he turned away from the edge, chuckling to himself as he did so. "To think that _another_ tigrex would be waiting for me up he-"

He froze just as he had turned enough to see the slope, his eyes widening as the blood drained from his face at what he saw.

A couple dozen yards away, hunched down against the snow and facing his direction, was a monster that he was all-too familiar with. After all, he had not only fought it himself once, but had encountered it countless times in his dreams.

The tigrex, which had miraculously appeared without him noticing, was considerably smaller than the one he had faced several days ago- though that wasn't to say that it was small in the slightest, as it seemed this one was in keeping with the average size for the species… Which was easily large enough for it to block his only exit, as it was doing right now.

The wyvern's blue-green eyes assessed Riaku for a long moment as a shaking breath rattled from his throat. He slowly reached over his shoulder for his sword, though by the time that he had gripped its handle, the tigrex seemed to have caught on to what he was doing. It planted its front feet firmly in the snow, its wings flaring as it pulled its head back with a sharp inhale.

Riaku recognized the posture as the precursor to a roar, and immediately thought back to his dream. The thought of being sent off the edge of the cliff, helpless to stop himself from plummeting to the rocks below, sparked an intense fear in him. He immediately held his shield out in front of him, ducking behind it with his full weight pressed forward and feet parted in the sturdiest stance he could form. There was a very brief moment of silence, then the world blurred around him with an ear-piercing scream.

Even compared to the other tigrex, this roar was unbelievably powerful. The sound of it was like that of rushing wind, raging at a fever pitch between Riaku's eardrums- and just as before, the vocalization was somehow able to push him backward physically. His teeth grit as he leaned against the force that was tilling his feet through the snow. Luckily, though, the cry ended just as he was nearing the cliff's edge. Riaku shot a terrified look at the fall behind him before peaking around his shield- only to find a chomping maw of razor-sharp teeth tearing toward him, propelled by two sets of wicked claws that dug through the snow at a frenzied pace.

Had this attack come a few days ago, Riaku would likely consider himself a goner at this point… Though it was at this moment that all of his training with Kira kicked in. His eyes shot for the pocket of safety between the tigrex's left claw and hind leg, and with a few rapid steps toward his oncoming attacker, he dove through the air, twisting his body as he breezed through the window. He readied his feet to dash before they had even hit the ground, and before his adversary could even come to a stop from its charge, he was sprinting like mad toward the slope.

He rushed forward several steps before shadows shot past him on the snow below, causing his eyes to flick upward in search of the source. What he found were two massive boulders that quickly descended as they soared above him, snow and ice raining from them as he slid to a stop. No sooner had he done so, the rocks crashed into the snow in front of him, effectively blocking off his exit once again.

He whipped around toward the tigrex just in time to see it tear its claw from a fresh crater in the ground. It was at this point that Riaku discovered a new level of intimidation… After all, this thing's strength wasn't only great enough to force him backward with a roar, but also incredible enough to dislodge chunks of the mountain with a swipe, sending them flying at an impressive height and speed.

As overwhelmed as Riaku was in that moment, he couldn't help but stare in awe at the orange and blue beast that eyed him from across the plateau.

This monster was the very embodiment of brute strength.

Of course he could chalk it up to the tigrex's fearsome reputation, but there was something more to be said for this one in particular. There was something almost familiar about this monster; a look in its eyes, a sort of calculation in its movements that simply didn't exist in the other one. In a way it reminded him of…

A fresh pit of dread opened in Riaku's stomach as the tigrex planted its feet into the snow, rising into the position to roar once again. He had two options in that moment; he could either duck behind his shield and hope that the beast wouldn't launch another chunk of rock before he recovered, or he could take a risk on this gut feeling that he had. In what was ultimately a very quick heads-or-tails flip in his head, he gulped and made his decision.

Just as the beast began to take in another sharp inhale, Riaku rushed forward a step and extended his palms toward the monster. " _Wait_!"

To his amazement, the desperate scream that he had produced caused the tigrex to hesitate, if just for a moment. That was all the proof he needed to continue.

"You're an Origin Monster… Aren't you?"

The monster cocked its broad head at him curiously for a moment before relaxing in its posture.

' _I thought I sensed power in you_ ,' a voice sounded in his head, ' _Too strong for a human, but so puny that I hardly noticed it._ '

The voice immediately took him back to his dream- although it had been vague before now, the two matched perfectly. It was a strong voice that was unmistakably female, though its mannerisms were masculine to the point of sounding tomboyish.

' _So, which one are you?_ ' The voice continued as the tigrex eyed him with an unrelenting gaze.

The fact that his gut feeling had been right still hadn't had time to completely wash over Riaku, and as such, a full moment passed before he realized that he had been asked a question- an incredibly vague one, at that.

"What do you mean, which one?" He asked dumbly.

The tigrex's eyes narrowed as the voice groaned in exasperation.

' _I mean_ ,' She clarified, ' _Which Origin are you? Dumb-ass._ '

He shook his head, still staring at her as though she were an alien or ghost. "I'm not like you… I-I mean, I'm not an Origin Monster. I'm human… Well, only on my mom's side, I guess-"

'- _Hey_!' The voice scolded, ' _Speak up, pipsqueak! I'm not interested in hearing you mumble all those ers and ehs- now, tell me what you are already!_ '

He swallowed hard before taking a deep breath. "I'm not a complete Origin Monster… I'm part human."

The tigrex leaned back at hearing that, eyeing him carefully for a long moment. ' _Human? Are you tryin' to tell me that you're this catalyst everyone's been so worked up about lately?_ '

He nodded hard. "I am… My mother was a human, and my father is a general for the Ancient Council."

Two blue-green eyes narrowed once again. ' _ **You're**_ _Alatreon's kid? I thought all that shit about him knockin' boots with a human was just a rumor._ '

Riaku shook his head. "Apparently not."

The tigrex eyed him hard for another moment before a booming laugh filled his mind. The laugh continued even as the monster began to circle Riaku, who mirrored the movement to keep a safe distance between them.

' _Well, I sure as hell wasn't expecting this!_ ' The voice admitted, ' _I heard talk of some big-shot hunter from Pokke who killed a giant tigrex on his own, and decided it would be fun to swing by and test his brawn for myself. I thought I'd have to kill a couple hundred monsters- really mess with the ecosystem, you know- then maybe they'd send him after_ _ **me**_ _as well… But I didn't have to do a damn thing! Imagine my surprise when I land here and the first thing I see is_ _ **you**_ _, struttin' around with those shiny new scales on your coat_!'

Riaku shot a nervous glance at his left shoulder, where the orange and blue scales from the last tigrex were shimmering in the sunlight, before quickly looking back at the Origin. "You're not… Mad about what happened to that other tigrex, are you?"

The voice gave a gruff laugh. ' _Mad? Nah, I couldn't care less. The weak fall prey to the strong, and that's just the way the world works._ '

Riaku nearly sighed in relief at hearing that, though what she said next caused the feeling to dissolve in his chest.

' _That's why I'm here, ya know? To pit survival of the fittest against this hotshot hunter…_ ' She paused for a moment, her front right claw drawing backward before she continued. ' _But now that I know he's also this all-powerful kid from the prophesy, I'm even more excited to thrash him!_ '

With the last word, she forced her claw into the snow with enough strength to launch chunks of ice and earth at the hunter. Riaku dodged a particularly large boulder before raising his shield against the smaller stuff, and lowered it again just in time to see the tigrex charging his way at full speed.

' _Show me what you've got, runt!_ '

Riaku's fear and surprise fueled his next movement as he went for another dive between her claws- though it seemed she had grown wise to this tactic by the second time around. She skidded to a stop as soon as he jumped, spinning in a tight circle so quickly that her body seemed to become a cyclone of claws and teeth.

A cyclone that Riaku was caught in the middle of.

After being hit repeatedly by a blur of scaly parts, he was launched from the attack by a strike to his stomach. The world spun around him as he flipped through the air, grimacing in pain as he straightened out to land feet-first on the ground. It was a successful attempt, though it didn't leave him with enough time to avoid the giant ball of snow that was then launched in his direction.

The projectile exploded against his body with incredible force, half-burying him while simultaneously launching the sword and shield from his hands. His eyes widened in fear of another attack before he struggled his way out from the snow pile-

Only to be hit with another.

' _Geez, kid, are you_ _ **sure**_ _you're supposed to be this 'miracle child'?_ ' The voice asked in a tone somewhere between bored and condescending, ' _You're really not putting up much of a fight_.'

He growled in exertion as he clawed his way out of the snow once more, immediately turning and dashing for his weapons. He only made it a few steps, however, before something struck his side and launched him into a nearby snowdrift. Contrary to how comfortable it sounds to land against such a thing, the force with which he connected with it caused the snow to compact, effectively mirroring the feeling of hitting a brick wall.

He fell to the ground with a dull thud, coughing and gasping as he tried to regain the wind that was knocked out of him.

He continued to sputter as a large shadow covered him. ' _This is pathetic. I might as well be playing with my food._ '

He turned to glare up at the tigrex, but could hardly move his head before a sudden weight forced him into the snow. His eyes widened when he realized what the source of the weight was- curved over either of his shoulders was a wicked claw. He couldn't react to this realization, however, before the claws tightened and lifted him into the air. Before he knew it, he was face-to-face with the tigrex he was fighting.

' _You know, you could at least_ _ **try**_ _to be a challenge..._ ' The voice taunted before the claw flicked forward, releasing its grasp on him in time to toss him into the snow a few yards away. ' _I can hardly believe that you're actually Alatreon's squirt… Honestly, if I were you, I'd give up on all that 'saving the world' crap. Just cut your losses and enjoy the ride for as long as you can._ '

Riaku struggled to get up again- his body was sore, he was severely winded, and snow was tightly packed into the nooks and crannies of his armor, stinging against his bare skin. However, at hearing her say those things, staying down wasn't an option. He forced himself to rise to his feet and turn to face her, wiping his cheek with his fist as he did so.

"I won't do that." He said between heavy breaths, "People _need_ me… And I won't let them down."

There was a sarcastic chuff in his head. ' _People need_ _ **you**_ _? We must be living in some sad times if that's the case. What are you supposed to protect these people from, anyway?_ '

"The Ancient Council," He answered after a brief coughing fit, "We think they're going to try and kill off the humanoid races… I _can't_ let that happen."

' _Oh yeah, tough guy? And how do you plan on stopping something like the Council? Look around- you're not strong enough to save_ _ **anyone**_ , _let alone the whole world_.'

As if to emphasize her point, she flicked a claw in his direction, flinging enough snow his way to knock him to the ground once more.

' _It's nice to have dreams, kid, but you need to face the facts. In this world, you're either the hunter or the hunted- and after seeing what you can do, you sure as hell aren't a hunter._ '

He only rested for a second, taking a deep breath before sitting up and rising to his feet again- albeit shakily.

"It's not a 'dream'," He stated with a glare at the monster that loomed above him, "It's my _destiny_. I know I'm not that strong right now… But I will be. I swear on my life."

The tigrex before him wasn't really capable of displaying human emotion, though he could have sworn that it sneered at him when he said that. Once again, a wall of snow hit him- one that was a bit bigger than the previous.

After seeing that Riaku had been forced to the ground again, she replied. ' _Ever heard that talk is cheap? If you have something to prove, then work for it_.'

"I… _Am_ working for it…" He groaned as he fought his way back to his feet, "I've been training every single day since I found out about the prophesy, from dawn to dusk… And I'm getting better."

' _Better_?' She laughed again before quickly turning around, whacking him with the end of her tail hard enough to send him rolling. ' _If you're still this weak, then buddy, I'd hate to see where you started. How long have you been training, anyway? A few months?_ '

"No," He croaked as he stood again, stumbling as he reeled with the last hit. "It's been exactly seven days."

' _A week?_ ' She mused, ' _Good, then you haven't wasted too much of your time.'_

"It's not a waste of time." He argued between breaths, "I'll become strong- even stronger than _you_. You'll see."

She barked with laughter before raising a claw and slamming it into the ground. There was a slight tremor, then the earth in front of Riaku burst upward, sending him sprawling backward as it slammed against his chest. He wheezed and sputtered into the snow while she began walking toward him.

' _Stay down and maybe I'll let that little remark slide,'_ She offered as she looked down at him, ' _Stop playing the hero and you might just make it home in one piece.'_

He shook his head before lifting himself from the snow. "I won't give up. I _refuse_ to."

He had hardly made it to his feet before the jutting rocks from a moment ago were swatted by the tigrex's claws. They exploded upon impact, the larger bits sending him flying as the remainder pelted against his armor. The world spun in streaks of white and blue as he was sent rolling, finally coming to a stop in time to hear her response.

' _You know what, brat? You're starting to get on my nerves. All that piss and vinegar, but nothing to back it up._ ' The voice lowered into a dangerous growl, ' _You need to be taught how things work in the real world._ '

He began lifting himself once again but couldn't get far before something large batted at his side, knocking him over and driving his back through the snow. He grimaced when he finally came to a stop, sucking air through his teeth as a hand shot to the sudden pain in his rib. The tigrex was only toying with him, he knew that, and yet her attacks hit harder than anything he had ever experienced. He realized that he could make it all stop by submitting, but couldn't bring himself to do it. With an exertive growl of his own, he started to get up.

A tongue clicked in his head. ' _You want more? Alright then, how about_ _ **this**_ _?_ '

He saw stars before the hit even came, and even as he careened into the snow, wasn't sure exactly what had bashed against his head. He blinked a few times as his vision blurred and spun but rose even as it did so. He had something to prove, after all, and the indignity of failure was worse than whatever injuries she might inflict upon him.

He knew that fact from experience.

He swayed once he was on his feet again, still struggling to see straight, but couldn't say anything before another blow came, knocking him back-first into the drift once again. He slumped forward from the hit, the cold from the snow burning his face while he caught his breath.

' _Why won't you stay down?_ ' The voice asked, sounding more annoyed than curious. ' _You know you can't hold your own against me, so why are you trying so hard?_ '

"Because I _have_ to…" He mumbled as he slowly lifted his head to face her. "If I back down to the first Origin Monster I face… Then I'll _never_ be able to take on the whole Council."

The tigrex eyed him carefully for a moment before the voice returned. ' _You're a resilient bastard, I'll give you that… Not the smartest, and definitely not the strongest, but you've got guts._ '

He didn't answer as he instead focused on getting back up. His whole body screamed at him to rest, and he feared that another attack was lined up for the moment that he had gathered his bearings, though nothing of the sort happened once he had done so. Instead, the voice continued while he leaned against the wall of ice for support.

' _What's your name, kid?_ '

"Riaku…" He answered, his head growing light as he began to sway again. "Riaku Haidoji…"

As soon as the last syllable left his lips, he began to fall forward. He was sure that he would wind up face-down in the snow again, though was pleasantly surprised when his face met something warm and soft rather than cold and brittle.

"Woah there, scrub… Take it easy. You got any healing potions on you?"

He nodded his head, barely noticing that the voice was no longer in his mind, but somewhere above him. The soft surface that his face was pressed against vibrated with the voice's words as it talked, a detail that he found incredibly soothing.

"In my belt… On the right."

"Gotcha. One minute."

He felt a hand root around near his waist for a moment before pulling an item from his trousers. There was the sound of a cork popping from a bottle, then the voice returned.

"Alright, lift your face and open wide."

He _really_ didn't want to lift his head, both because of how heavy it felt and how comfortable he was at the moment, but forced himself to do as he was told. No sooner had his mouth opened, cold glass pressed against his lips and a goopy liquid began running into his mouth. Consistency aside, it actually wasn't half-bad… It was sweet and earthy in flavor, with a richness that made it easy to guzzle down.

"There ya go. Down the hatch."

Once he had finished the last of the liquid, the bottle was pulled from his mouth and returned to his belt while he rested his head against the warmth again. There was a strange tingling in his body as his ribs and abdomen began to feel better, his head soon following suit. Before long he was feeling almost completely normal again, aside from a bit of soreness. He opened his eyes and blinked until his vision had settled, noting that his face was resting against smooth skin. He cocked an eyebrow and turned his head upward to find a woman's face looking down at him.

His eyes shot wide as he realized that his head was resting against her chest. He quickly pulled away from her until he had put a few feet between them, but couldn't apologize before she let out a hearty laugh.

"Well, _that_ didn't take long!" She said with a toothy grin, "I thought that potion looked funny, but I guess it did the trick!"

"Y-Yeah…" Riaku slowly mumbled as he looked her over.

She stood at about his height- maybe a hair taller- and had a bizarre appearance in keeping with Kira's own. The contrast to Kira, however, was found in how old they looked; while Lady Kirin's human form looked like she was somewhere between his age and the early twenties, this girl looked like she was about that _plus_ five years. Not that she had any wrinkles or other physical signs of age… She just _seemed_ like someone who had lived a bit more life.

She had messy hair that fell to the base of her neck, the back of which feathered out in any given direction. The oddity about it was the color- a deep cobalt blue, though it appeared to be iridescent to an extent, as the sun cast a sheen of vibrant orange onto the areas that its light made direct contact with.

Her skin was tanner than Kira's, though that wasn't saying much. Two large eyes- deep blue around the edge of the iris and light green surrounding the pupil- smiled at him from over a wide grin full of teeth that seemed… _Sharper_ than what was normal for a human.

If the feminine features of her face and the tone of her voice weren't enough to convince Riaku that she was a woman, then her body's shape certainly would have. Her bust and hips were barely contained in the shabby clothing that she wore, which seemed to be made up of a single popo's pelt that was hastily stitched together to vaguely resemble something between a coat and dress. Her cleavage was hardly covered, and the _fuller_ aspects of her figure had opened a seam that ran down her front, exposing the skin from the bottom of her ribs to the area just beneath her belly button to the mountain air.

"So, you're… Lady Tigrex?" He asked, knowing the answer but feeling the need to confirm it, given the radical change to her appearance from a moment ago.

"The one and only," She answered with a close-eyed grin, "Though I could do without the whole 'Lady' thing. I never cared much for that formal crap."

"Got it," He replied, still eyeing her carefully. "And, uh… Why didn't you kill me just then? You definitely could have if you wanted to."

"You complainin'?" She asked with sharp eyes.

He shook his head vigorously as he waved his hands in front of him. "N-No, not at all! It's just… I wanted to know why you held back."

"Why, huh?" She echoed, scratching her cheek with a finger in thought. "It's true that snapping your neck would have been a breeze, and it honestly might have been fun too…"

She laughed before winking at him. "I guess I didn't go through with it because… Well, I like your grit, kid!"

He blinked twice. "Really?"

She gave a hard nod. "Mm-hm! Most people in your position would have thrown in the towel and groveled at my feet, but not you! You kept getting up again and again to prove your determination, and that takes balls."

He didn't have a chance to answer before she stepped toward him and roughly wrapped an arm around his shoulder. "You said you're tryin' to stop the Council from killing off the humans, right?"

He nodded. "Yeah… They're not attacking us yet, but we think it's only a matter of time. That's why I've been training like crazy, trying to get strong enough to face them."

She gave a long hum before pulling him closer to her with the sort of strength that grown men only dreamed of. "Tell ya what, runt, I'll make you an offer; you treat a girl to a good time, and I'll whip you into shape. How's that sound?"

His eyes widened in disbelief. " _Really_? You'll help to train me?"

She chuckled. "That's right! At the low, low cost of some good grub and booze, I'll help you knock some skulls together. Deal?"

He hesitated for a moment. "That sounds great, but… Helping me means that you'll be going against the Council. Are you really okay with that?"

"Buddy, that's a _bonus_ for me!" Her teeth flashed in the sunlight. "I never liked those stuck-up pricks anyway. If I can cause a few headaches on their end, then as far as I'm concerned, it's been a good day. Now, do you want my help or not?"

He nodded, matching her grin with one of his own. "Absolutely! Thanks so much!"

"Ah, don't mention it, rug rat!" She barked with laughter as she tightened her hold around his neck, pulling him into a headlock with one arm while ruffling his hair with the hand on her other. "But before we get started, I want you to answer somethin' for me."

"Sure," His croaked out from her hold, "Anything."

Her eyes glinted as they looked down on him, sharp even though she continued to smile. " _You_ didn't kill that tigrex at all, did you?"

He sighed. "No… My trainer did. She actually saved my life in the process."

"Alright, so who's this trainer of yours?"

"Oh, right…" He struggled to lift his head enough to meet her gaze. "It's Lady Kirin."

Two aquamarine eyes narrowed at him. "Figures it would be _that_ know-it-all…"

Her gaze shifted away just as her lips curled upward even further. "… And speak of the devil."

He didn't have time to ask her what she meant before the entire situation changed. There was a flash of light and a clap of thunder before the boulders that had been blocking the slope exploded into gravel. By the time Riaku had recovered from his surprise enough to see what was going on, Lady Tigrex was no longer holding his head under her arm- rather, she was several yards away, carefully eyeing the white-haired girl that now stood between them.

"Riaku," Kira called, a red eye turning to assess him from over her shoulder, "Are you alright?"

"Y-Yeah, of course."

"Good." Her gaze shifted back toward the other Origin, "Shortly after you left, I felt a powerful presence approaching Pokke… A familiar one, at that. I didn't know where you were so I followed the feeling, just to be safe, and that's when I began to feel that your own aura was up here with _her_."

Her red eyes narrowed as she reached for the hilt of her sword. "You can explain to me exactly what you were thinking, running off alone like that… _After_ I've dealt with this degenerate."

Lady Tigrex belted out a hardy laugh. "Nice to see you too, pony girl. Before you slap a label on someone else, though, you should probably look in the mirror."

"Whatever do you mean?"

"I mean," She clarified with a low voice, " _I'm_ not the one threatening my new ally."

Had it not been for the whistling wind of the mountaintop, you would be able to hear a pin drop in that moment.

"No… You don't mean to say-"

"-That's _exactly_ what I mean to say," Lady Tigrex cut her off, raising both hands to the back of her head casually. "You see, Riaku and I just had a nice chat. He told me all about your plan to mess with the Council, and I agreed to help out."

"But that's… I mean, you-"

"Are you saying you don't want my help?" The blue-haired girl asked with a dangerous edge to her voice, "Look, I've seen what the kid can do, and honestly? I'm not impressed. You might be good with the book smarts, but even the Goddess of Thunder can't do _everything_."

Her grin grew as she lowered one of her hands, extending a thumb back toward herself before continuing. "Me, though? I can turn this lightweight into a _real_ threat… But first, I want to hear _you_ ask for _my_ help."

A moment passed in which Kira eyed the other girl with tight lips and furrowed eyebrows. After a while, though, she sighed in resignation and pinched the bridge of her nose.

"I knew that we'd eventually have to work alongside someone who was less than optimal, but by the Great Force, why did it have to be _her_ of all monsters?"

"I'm hearing a lot of complaining over there," Lady Tigrex taunted, "But not a certain _question_ ~"

Kira half-groaned before lowering her hand and facing the other woman properly. "Very well. Will you assist us in putting a stop to the Ancient Council's plans?"

The blue-haired girl hummed as if contemplating her answer before responding simply.

"No."

Once again, the mountain fell silent as Riaku and Kira stared at her in amazement.

The girl eyed their reactions with a serious face before belting out another laugh. "Chill out, I'm just messing with ya! Since you scrubs are so helpless without me, I'll give you a hand. Be grateful!"

"Eternally so," Kira muttered before turning back toward Riaku, "And don't think _you're_ off the hook, either. Going so far without me is incredibly dangerous, and had things gone differently, all of humanity would have paid for your recklessness."

He rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "You're right, I probably should have told you… I just thought that if you knew why I wanted to come up here, you wouldn't let me."

"Oh?" Kira asked, "And why did you feel the need to come here in the first place?"

"Well… It might sound crazy, but I've been having this weird dream." He admitted while averting his eyes from the collective gaze of the Origins before him. "I kept having it again and again, a nightmare where I climb this mountain and find a tigrex at the top. I thought that… I dunno, maybe if I came here for myself, I could put it behind me."

Kira's eyes lowered while a thoughtful finger rose to her cheek. "Fascinating… Perhaps you're capable of having prophetic dreams, then- premonitions about where to find other Origin Monsters in the future."

Riaku hadn't the time to answer before Lady Tigrex groaned. "Forget that dream crap! I say we head into Pokke for some lunch- I mean, I can't train this punk on an empty stomach, you know?"

"I actually agree with her," Kira conceded with a nod, "We should return to Pokke at once and inform Maria of this new development… Though we should come up with a human name for her to use while we're in town, something more inconspicuous than 'Lady Tigrex'."

"Hey, that's a good point," The girl in question agreed while scratching her head thoughtfully. "Say, Riaku, why don't you come up with something to call me?"

" _Me_?" He asked incredulously, "Why me?"

"Because I _said so_ , half-pint!" She growled, "Now hurry up, I'm starving over here!"

He looked between the impatient face of Lady Tigrex and the unamused expression of Kira while he racked his brain for possible names. He didn't consider himself the most creative person, and had never had the chance to choose what something was called before… Though as the seconds scraped by, each bringing with it more pressure to give a quick answer, he decided to name her after what he saw.

_Lady Tigrex…_

_Kira…_

_Okay, then… how about-_

"Tyra?" He asked, his eyes flicking from face to face for authorization, receiving two _very_ different reactions at the suggestion.

"Tyra, huh?" The new girl asked before giving one of her signature toothy grins. "I can dig it!"

Meanwhile, Kira brought a hand to her forehead with an exasperated sigh. "Really? Not only do our names have the same number of syllables, but they even end in _exactly_ the same way."

Riaku gave a sheepish chuckle. "Sorry… I'm not good with this kind of stuff."

"Well, _I_ like it!" Tyra proclaimed as she walked over and draped an arm around Riaku's shoulders, "Now let's get going, already!"

With that, the three began making their way back down the mountain, only pausing so that Riaku could gather his weapons. As they walked toward the northeast, Tyra joked and rambled on about all the food she wanted to try, often reminding Riaku that he had promised to treat her. Conversely, Kira was nearly completely silent, her unamused eyes always glued to their new companion above a mild pout.

Things would certainly be more interesting from now on, now that Tyra had joined their side. Her promises to 'whip him into shape' unnerved Riaku a bit, as he could only imagine the sorts of intensive training that awaited him under this new trainer's tutelage, though there was an anxious excitement in that regard as well.

After all, he had witnessed her strength firsthand- and with power like _that_ around, he was feeling much more confident about their chances in an inevitable war against the Ancient Council.


	9. Apex

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The word "training" takes on a new meaning under Tyra's guidance, and through the course of Riaku's growth, many surprising discoveries are made- both in regards to power as well as romance.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize for the wait on this chapter. It turned out being much longer than I had expected.
> 
> Enjoy!

The room fell silent in the wake of Kira's words. Elder Maria stared at her in surprise for several moments before her eyes shifted past Riaku to the new girl- an unfamiliar blue-haired woman with a bored look on her face and a hand on her hip.

"Forgive me, Lady Kirin," The Elder began with a dry chuckle, "Not to imply that you would ever misspeak, it's just that my ears aren't as good as they used to be. I'm quite sure that I didn't hear you correctly just a moment ago… Would you be so kind as to repeat yourself once more?"

"Of course," Kira replied with a nod, obviously much more patient toward the situation than the woman standing on the other side of her mate was. "Riaku ran off this morning and managed to meet another Origin Monster who agreed to join forces with us. It would seem that he's been having premonitions about their encounter for a while now through nightmares, and these dreams led him to the exact point that this other Origin landed. They both arrived at around the same time, as well."

"Ah, I understand all of that," The Elder said with a polite smile, "It was what you said next that I must have misheard… Would you mind telling me once again which Origin Monster young Riaku met this morning?"

"Hey!" A strong female voice scolded, drawing eyes to the blue-haired girl. "Don't talk about me like I'm not here. It's pissing me off."

"Right, right, I'm terribly sorry…" Maria gave a small bow. "Now, then… How may I address you?"

"My name's Tyra," The girl answered while raising her hands to the back of her head, "And I'm the Origin for the tigrex species."

The smile melted from the Elder's face as her eyes shifted back to Kira. "That's… What I thought I heard. Oh dear, to think I'd see the day when _that_ tigrex returned to our village, not as a menace, but as an ally…"

"I don't know about all of that, grandma." Tyra unceremoniously replied, "I'm doing this for the squirt here, not your precious village. If I'm being honest, I really don't care what becomes of this place."

Maria's lips pulled into a tight line, but she bowed respectfully regardless. "Whatever the case, your helping Riaku will in turn assist Pokke. I hope you'll find our home comfortable and accommodating for as long as you may stay here."

"Yeah, I, uh… Like what you've done with the place?" Tyra's aquamarine eyes swept across the room in front of her. "I remember some of these buildings from back in the day, but it's gotten a lot bigger since then."

Elder Maria nodded. "We've flourished under Lady Kirin's protection, and as such have garnered a considerable population of merchants, farmers, and hunters… Which brings me to my next point. Lady Tigrex, it is important that you-"

" _Hey_!" The blue-haired girl growled once more, "I know you're old and all, but you're not deaf. My name is _Tyra_ now, not 'Lady Tigrex'. I hate that formal crap."

"Yes, erm- noted." The Elder's wavering smile returned before she continued. "So, then… _Tyra_ , it is important that you blend in here in Pokke. We don't want the Ancient Council to learn of Riaku's growth before he's ready to face them directly."

Tyra thoughtfully scratched her cheek with a finger. "I get it… If the council found out that he was rackin' up Origin Monsters, they'd probably try to wipe him out. You want him to buff up before they realize what's goin' on."

"In so many words, yes." Maria extended an arm toward Kira. "As such, we've created a disguise for you to use- you'll train him in secret, under the cover of being novice hunters who have been placed under his tutelage."

Tyra's sarcastic snort at that last part caused Riaku to glare at her from the corner of his eye, though Maria continued as though she hadn't heard it.

"You'll be staying in a small hunting lodge with Riaku and his mother, Gaia." Her bespectacled eyes lowered to the shabby excuse for clothing that Tyra was wearing. "As for right now, I think that it would be wise to fetch you some proper equipment. If you'll come with me, we'll see about getting you some armor and a weapon from our resident instructor."

Tyra groaned and crossed her arms as the three turned to follow Maria out of the Elder's residence. "I thought we came here to get _lunch_. You're starting to test my patience."

"I said that we would return to Pokke to inform Maria of your arrival," Kira corrected, "I never once agreed to a meal."

Tyra turned and scowled at the white-haired girl as they made their way onto the streets outside. She couldn't respond, however, before Riaku cut in.

"Sorry about all the delays," He said while rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly, "I was the one who agreed to treat you, so you can blame me. After we get your equipment we'll pick up whatever you want and head back to Gaia's to eat it. Sound good?"

The grin returned to Tyra's face as she pulled the young hunter into another headlock while they walked. "This guy gets it! Alright, squirt, I'll hang in there a bit longer… But you'd better keep your promise, or you'll be sorry!"

Riaku chuckled nervously from her hold.

It wasn't a terribly long walk to the Hunter's Academy, and after a brief explanation from Elder Maria, the trio were left in Koh's hands.

"So… You're new hunters, then?" He crossed his arms as he looked Kira and Tyra over. "It's a bit unorthodox for people to come into Pokke for training… I guess word of that tigrex kill has really gotten out there, huh?"

Kira nodded while Tyra gave a chortle. Koh raised an eyebrow at her but continued regardless.

"Anyway, it seems that Riaku will be training you rather than me. You should be grateful for that." He turned to favor the Academy. "Whatever the case, you'll need the proper equipment. Come with me and we'll get you suited up."

The three obliged and followed the man, who asked them to wait outside the academy for a moment before he returned with a standard mafumofu set in hand. He advised the blue-haired girl to change inside before they moved on to picking her weapon, and within a few minutes, she emerged from the small building wearing Pokke's signature armor.

"Seems like it fits well enough," Koh's eyes trailed down her new armor before returning to her face. "How's it feel on you?"

"Honestly? A bit small." Tyra tugged at the collar of her coat for emphasis.

"Really?" He crossed his arms and leaned back, "That was the largest size we have for women… If you'd like, I could-"

"-Nah, don't sweat it, buddy." Her aquamarine eyes trailed from Koh to restlessly look around the training area. "See, I've kinda got plans for lunch, so the quicker we get through this the better."

The instructor cocked an eyebrow at her once again. "Lunch? You do realize that this equipment could save your life, right? Is food seriously more important to you than having fitting armor?"

She groaned in annoyance. "Look, pal, I'll modify it later so that it's more comfortable for me. Now, can we move on already?"

"I can see why you wound up here now…" Koh muttered before his chestnut eyes shifted to Riaku. "You've got your work cut out for you with this one, kid. In my opinion you were better off facing that tigrex than training little miss spitfire here."

Riaku chuckled sheepishly, inwardly sighing at how close Koh was to the actual truth, while Kira stifled an amused smile and Tyra's eyes sparked with agitation. Despite their varying responses, however, Koh turned toward the pit at the end of the training strip with a grunt.

"Very well, if you're fine with your armor then I am too. Let's get you a damage-dealer."

The three followed him past a familiar line of practice dummies before reaching the edge of the pit. Riaku swallowed hard as his eyes trailed to a singed hole in the makeshift arena's wall, a testament to the day that he failed out of the Academy. He didn't linger on the embarrassment and pain of the memories for long, though, before turning his gaze to the rest of the hole.

He had wondered on the walk over why Koh was leading them here, though his question was answered by the sight of a wooden table that lined one of the pit's earthy walls, a variety of weapons laid out atop it. Straightening the last of the lineup was a girl that Riaku immediately recognized- though he wasn't keen on encountering her again so soon.

After all, the last time they talked he had been fighting back tears.

Regardless, the group slid to the bottom, drawing her attention in the process. Two surprised green eyes swept over the new arrivals before her expression eased into a polite smile.

"Ah, Instructor! I've arranged the weapons, just as you said."

Koh nodded, his eyes ghosting over the table. "Very good, Grace. I know it wasn't easy to lug them all down here, but doing so will cut a step out of the next class. Thank you for doing that for me."

She nodded with a hum before her eyes shifted to the two unfamiliar girls that stood on either side of Riaku. "Speaking of which, are these the new students?"

"Sort of," Koh sighed, "But not _ours_. These are Riaku's new recruits. You remember him, don't you?"

"Of course!" Grace's smile turned to the boy in question, "Congratulations on your tigrex, Riaku… You've really been the talk of the town lately! I wish I could have seen your hunt for myself."

He rubbed the back of his neck while averting his eyes from her gaze. "Thanks… It was nothing, really."

"Damn straight," Tyra muttered from his side.

Riaku couldn't shoot her a glare, however, before Koh suddenly clapped his hands together. "Alright, enough small talk. The Elder asked me to provide these girls with whatever they need to start hunting, though it would seem that one of them was thinking two steps ahead."

His appreciative eyes swept from Kira to Tyra, upon which they hardened. "That leaves you, bluenette. Why don't you take a look at the table? Pick something you like."

The girl in question gave him a nasty sneer before making her way to the line of weapons. She scratched her cheek with a finger as her eyes skimmed across the options, finally pausing on a particularly interesting weapon- a massive hunk of steel carved into a slender wedge upon a heavy-duty handle. The blade was almost as long as she herself was, and its sturdy composition ensured that it would match or even surpass something like the hammer in terms of weight.

"This one seems like fun," She thought aloud as she casually reached for the handle.

Grace giggled from beside the table. When Tyra's eyes shot toward the girl in a daring fashion, she shook her head and explained herself.

"I'm sorry… I didn't mean to laugh, it's just that… Well, the great sword requires incredible strength to wield, and even then, you'd have to grip it tightly with both hands and adjust your mass just to be able to-"

She couldn't finish the sentence before the words died on her tongue. Not that anyone could blame her, as Koh and Riaku's jaws dropped at the same time.

"You were saying?" Tyra asked with a smirk, holding the blade completely upright.

In one hand.

At a full-arm's extension.

"Y'know, this thing isn't so bad." She continued as her eyes trailed from Grace to the cartoonishly large sword in her hand, "I usually think that swords are kinda wimpy, but this one feels like it could really tear things up."

She gave it a few practice swings with incredible ease before Koh found his voice again. "I've trained hunters here for more than a decade… And I have _never_ seen such an incredible show of strength."

Tyra shot him a wide grin, rubbing the back of her head with the sword's side as if it were a twig. "Ah, geez… You're just sayin' that!"

"N-No, he really isn't," Grace agreed, still gawking at her with wide eyes. "Most of the people who come in here can't even lift a great sword… Let alone with one hand."

Tyra gave a gruff laugh before her eyes flickered to an astounded Riaku. "You know what? Lunch can wait a bit longer… I'm in the mood to begin my first lesson."

The sword flashed in the sunlight as she lowered its tip in the young hunter's direction. "Let's spar, _teach_ \- just you and me!"

Riaku began to shake his head while waving his hands in her direction, though as Tyra began sprinting at him with the sword held high over her head, his face paled and he turned on his heel to start running away.

What ensued were several minutes of fearful cries and earth-shaking crashes as Tyra chased her prey around the ring, her sword leaving craters in the dirt with each missed swing. Her laughter, which was surprisingly girlish given her mannerisms, echoed through the area in a constant stream as Riaku dived, rolled, and juked around his pursuer.

"Holy Hell," Koh muttered from beside Kira, shaking his head in disbelief as Riaku gave an adept-style dodge past Tyra's downward slash, "That girl's something else."

Kira nodded in agreement, her eyes amused but also narrowed at the blue-haired girl. Apparently "subtlety" wasn't part of Lady Tigrex's vocabulary.

Riaku converted the momentum from his dodge into a sprint toward the nearest wall, hoping to scale it before she would get the chance to catch up to him again. At first it seemed that this plan would be effective, as he cleared the first half of his climb in record time, though he felt his heart drop when something grabbed the back of his coat… _Hard_.

He was helpless to do anything but cry out as he was yanked off the wall and flung backward. He was weightless for a moment, gazing longingly at the freedom that he was just thrown away from, before his back thudded against the ground. He groaned and sat up with a wince, though his expression melted into terror as a large wedge of steel was driven into the dirt between his legs, mere inches from his manhood.

His wide eyes trailed from his own reflection in the steel to the grinning face of Tyra, who was standing above him with her hands on her hips victoriously.

"That's match, squirt!" She declared in a loud voice, "If I weren't such a nice sparring partner, you'd have to give up on any dreams of having your own kids! Be grateful!"

He let out a rattling chuckle before shakily rising to his feet and stepping away from the sword.

"Thank you so, _so_ much…"

She chuckled and stepped close, draping an arm around his shoulder and pulling him tight to her. "Ah, don't mention it! You know how you can repay me, don't ya?"

"No," He admitted, "But it probably has something to do with lunch… Right?"

She belted out another laugh before ruffling his hair. "So, he's got a brain in that pretty head of his! Speaking of which, all that sparring worked up an appetite. Let's get a move on!"

Koh provided Tyra with a sling for her great sword before wishing Riaku luck and sending them on their way. The plan was to head to Gaia's for lunch, as Riaku and Kira had gathered plenty of meat from their training, though Tyra insisted that they make a few stops along the way- inevitably to scope out a tavern's liquor stock.

By the time they had made it home, Riaku's money pouch was feeling considerably lighter than it had been when he woke up that morning. Having grown up "fiscally skimpy", as Gaia had called it, it hurt to see so much zenny go down the drain… Though each time he cut a look at the giant sword on Tyra's back, it reminded him that this spending wasn't a waste, but an investment.

He only wondered how Gaia would fare against Tyra's… _Unique_ personality.

* * *

"So… Who have we here?"

Riaku turned his gaze from Gaia, who had just returned home with bags full of groceries, to the girl in question. Tyra was currently out cold at their kitchen table, her head snoring loudly atop her crossed arms. Laid out in front of her were an incredible number of empty bottles, along with a plate stacked high with an equally impressive amount of bones- each of which had been completely stripped clean of any trace of meat.

"This is Tyra," He answered, eyeing the small trickle of drool that connected her gaping mouth to her arms, "She's going to be training under me like Kira."

"I see…" Gaia's eyes slowly trailed between the sleeping girl and the remains of her feast. "Well, now, I guess we didn't have to worry about all that meat spoiling after all. All I want to know now is why she chose to sleep at the table rather than in her room, or even on one of the couches."

Riaku looked to the couches in question- two of them, placed to form a ninety-degree angle in the area beside the front door. Kira was currently reading on one of them, while the other was left completely barren. These new furnishings had come as a surprise to Riaku when they returned home for lunch, though a note left from Gaia had explained that they were a consolation gift for enduring the wait for the beds- which had arrived while he was out "training". With the couches forming a sort of living space beside the kitchen table, the whole of the main room was nearly devoid of free space, though Riaku was happy to have somewhere more comfortable to sit than the dining table stools… A sentiment that he clearly didn't share with Tyra.

"I really don't know," He agreed while scratching his head, "Eating all that meat at mach speed must have worn her out. As soon as lunch was over she just sort of… Crashed."

Gaia grunted before crossing to the counter and setting her bags down. "She should at least wait to greet her new housemates before making herself so comfortable… I'd like to get to know her a bit myself."

When the middle-aged woman turned and began reaching for Tyra's shoulder, Riaku tensed. He didn't know why, but he had a strong feeling that things were about to go downhill.

"Gaia, I don't know if I'd-"

"-Riaku," She turned a stern eye on him, "Regardless of my arrangement with the Elder, this is still _my_ house- and as such, I think I'm entitled to know a bit about the people staying in it."

With that sentiment of finality, she grabbed Tyra's shoulder and gave it a few hard shakes. There was a catch in the girl's snoring before her eyes cracked open, a dangerous look of annoyance in them.

"Hey… _Hey_!" She mumbled the first bit while growling the latter. "Can you knock it off? Some of us are _trying_ to nap off our hooch here!"

Gaia reeled back in offense. "Excuse me? I'll not be talked to in that manner in my own house!"

Riaku grimaced. Their interaction had just started, and yet it was somehow going even worse than he feared it would.

Tyra groggily lifted and turned her head to face Gaia. "Yo, Riaku, who's this bat and why is she _yelling_ so loud? My head is splitting over here."

"I'm a bat, am I?" Gaia asked while crossing her arms, "Young lady, if anyone needs to introduce themselves around here, it's _you_. Don't you have any manners at all?"

Tyra slowly blinked twice, her aggravated expression unwavering, before she yawned. Riaku watched in absolute amazement as she stood from the table, leisurely stretched an arm over her head, then responded.

"You lookin' for a fight, lady?" She asked while rotating her right shoulder as if in preparation for a bout, "'Cause I'd be happy to oblige."

Gaia was at a momentary loss for words, though the expression on her face indicated nothing less than pleasure at the thought of fighting this girl. Riaku, both knowing Tyra's real strength and wanting to avoid conflict, decided to step in before things could get to that point.

" _Tyra_!" He whispered tersely into the blue-haired girl's ear, " _You can't fight her_!"

"Says who?" She shot back, not once taking her eyes off Gaia, "She started this shit in the first place."

" _It doesn't matter if she started it_ \- _that's Gaia! You know, as in the woman who owns the house you're going to be staying in!_ "

"So what? I can find some other place to crash."

He sighed in exasperation before lowering his voice even more. "Look, if she kicks you out then you'll be missing out on access to the lodge- we have lots of food and a heated bath here. Do you really want to lose all of that just because she woke you up?"

Her aquamarine eyes shot to his face and lingered there for a moment before looking back at Gaia, who was silently fuming as she waited for their secret discussion to end.

"… Fine." Tyra averted her eyes with a tsk and extended a hand in Gaia's direction. "We got off on the wrong foot. Sorry 'bout that."

Gaia's eyes fell to the hand that was offered to her before shooting to Riaku's nervous expression and back to Tyra. "I've never in my life seen such disrespect. You came into _my_ home, ate food that _my_ son gathered, then called me a _bat_ before even telling me your own name."

Tyra growled as she once again met Gaia's glare with one of her own. "Look, I said I was sorry, didn't I? What else do you want from me, lady?"

Gaia's foot tapped twice before her eyes lit up with an idea. "You want to be forgiven?"

" _Desperately_."

"Then follow me."

Gaia rounded the table and made her way to the back door, unfazed by Tyra's blatant sarcasm. Riaku followed the two women as they made their way outside, already having an inkling as to what Gaia wanted Lady Tigrex to do. His suspicions were confirmed when they found themselves in the small farming plot behind the house, the rows of different vegetables and other crops sprouting from tilled lines in the soil, all of which was protected by a shabby wooden fence.

Gaia hummed to herself as she fetched a basket from beside the door and handed it to Tyra. "Here. Pull every turnip in this field and you'll be forgiven."

Riaku winced for Tyra in that moment. Growing up, he had helped Gaia with harvesting yields almost constantly… And of all the crops to collect, mountain turnips were the worst.

To his surprise, though, Tyra didn't seem bothered beyond a lingering bitterness at having to concede ground to Gaia. Much the opposite, she didn't hesitate before turning and pushing the large wicker basket into his hands.

"Hold this for me, short stack."

"O-Okay..?"

Gaia and Riaku watched carefully as she walked to the first row of turnips, stifling a yawn with one hand while she reached down with the other. Then, in an act that was unheard of to the pair of longtime farmers, she took the turnip's stem between her pointer and middle finger and uprooted it in a single easy motion.

The absurdity of what she just did hadn't the time to wash over her company before she twirled the giant heart-shaped root around a couple of times, flinging loose dirt from it before releasing it from her grasp. Riaku's jaw dropped even further when the turnip thudded against the bottom of the basket in his hands, having reached its destination with incredible accuracy and little more than a glance to assist in its trajectory.

Their amazed silence continued even as Tyra made her way down the row, the growing distance between her and Riaku having no adverse effects on her aim. Before long the entire field was devoid of turnips and Riaku was struggling to hold the loaded basket.

"There." Tyra stated simply, her hands on her hips as she eyed the pair.

It was only after this prompt for a response that Gaia began to chuckle, which soon escalated into a full-on laugh. She crossed to Tyra and gave her a hearty pat on the back.

"No wonder you ate so much meat!" The middle-aged woman joked as she gave Tyra's bicep a squeeze through her coat, "You need protein to fuel that sort of power! That was incredible!"

At hearing the sudden praise, the other woman's unamused expression lifted into a toothy grin. "Ah, that was nothin'!"

"No, it was definitely something!" Gaia insisted, "I've dealt with those devils for several years, and when they get bigger, sometimes I need a shovel to get them out- but you? You took care of the whole bunch, and look at you! Not a single bead of sweat!"

Tyra's grin broadened even a bit further as she draped an arm around Gaia's shoulders. "Now you're singin' my tune! Come on, Gaia, have a drink with me… I know I've got a bottle or two left in there! Whataya say?"

Gaia chuckled as Tyra led her back inside. "Oh, I don't know, it's been a while since I've… Well, why not? Sure, I'll have a swig or two!"

The other barked with laughter. "There ya go! My name's Tyra, by the way…"

Riaku continued to watch in disbelief until the two had made their way inside, leaving him alone in the plot with a basket of turnips and no clue in hell as to what had just happened.

After a moment he shrugged the radical change to their relationship off, following their laughter inside with a sigh. Maybe it was a strong woman thing… Whatever the case, he was glad to see Gaia getting along with his new ally. He only hoped that they would continue getting along, as he wasn't completely sure who would win in a battle of wills between the two.

* * *

"Come on, princess, hurry it up!"

Riaku growled, both in exertion and annoyance, as he strained to move the boulder in front of him. His boots dug into the dirt below and sweat budded on his forehead in the midmorning sun. He had been constantly exerting pressure, using every bit of his strength to accomplish the arduous task- and yet the rock remained completely stationary. He paused in his pushing to step back and wipe his brow on his forearm, eliciting a groan from Tyra.

"You just gonna give up, _all-powerful hero_?" She taunted from her seat on a nearby rock.

He shifted a glare in her direction. "You know, despite what you might think, calling me names isn't helping."

Tyra opened her mouth to argue, but Kira cut her off. "He's right, you know. You can't expect him to complete an impossible task just because you're yelling at him to do it."

The bluenette grunted ambiguously while crossing her arms. Riaku, however, shifted an appreciative look to the white-haired girl who was reading atop a blanket in the grass.

It was the day after Riaku met Tyra, and his first training session under Lady Tigrex's guidance. Kira had tagged along to ensure that Riaku remained safe and was instructed properly. Neither of them had known what to expect when Tyra led them into a vacant grassy field, however, and their curiosity only deepened when she took on her other form to dislodge a semi-round boulder from the ground. She had rolled it to the center of the field with incredible ease, then returned to her human form.

"Alright, runt," She had said with crossed arms below a toothy grin, "Your first challenge is to turn that rock over."

Riaku's deadpan expression shifted from her to the object in question- a hulking monolith that rose to his chest in height.

"You're kidding me, right?"

"Nope!" She had carelessly replied while crossing to a rock to lounge on, "Give it your best!"

Kira had cocked a brow but remained silent- after all, it was one of Tyra's newly stated conditions that her training regimen not be questioned. Instead of standing up for Riaku in that moment, who was as confused by the order as he was dismayed, Kira had shrugged.

"I know you can do it." She murmured in monotone as she sought out a nice place to read.

Riaku sighed. "Thanks _so_ much. Your support is palpable, guys."

"Quit bellyaching!" Tyra barked at him, "That rock ain't gonna move itself- now get pushing!"

Countless futile minutes from then, they found themselves in their current current situation; the rock still hadn't moved an inch, and Riaku was quickly growing tired of whatever game Tyra was playing.

"He could do it if he really tried," Tyra muttered, "I mean, he's scrawny and all, but he's not _that_ weak."

"You're forgetting that he's part human," Kira turned the page of her book without looking up. "You'd be hard-pressed to find a normal person his age who could even make something that size budge."

Tyra grunted. "Says you."

"Has his struggle not been proof enough that he can't do it yet?" Came the instant reply, "Now that you know where he's at physically, you can work toward this as a goal… As he is now, moving that rock is impossible."

"Impossible…" Tyra echoed before giving a sarcastic chuff. "Fine. You want proof that he _can_ pull it off?"

Her eyes shifted to Riaku, who was still catching his breath. "Hey, guppy. C'mere a sec."

He cocked an eyebrow at her. "What for?"

"Just do it, paperweight!"

At hearing her annoyed growl, he begrudgingly followed orders. He came to a stop beside her rock, which she stood from before wrapping an arm around his shoulders. He hadn't the time to ask what she was doing before she tightened her hold into yet another headlock and began giving him a thorough noogying.

"H-Hey! What are you- knock it off!" He cried as he struggled in her hold, though she only laughed as she scruffed his hair even more vigorously. The action even drew Kira's gaze until Tyra released her hold as suddenly as she had grabbed him.

"What was _that_ for?" He asked as he backed away a step and gingerly rubbed his head.

"It's a charm." She nodded at the rock. "Now, try again."

He groaned. "I really don't see how-"

"Try. Again."

He let out a long exhale in exasperation before turning and trudging toward the boulder once more. It was only after he had taken a few steps that he noticed something was different… He felt lighter than usual, more energetic. He paused when he reached the rock to shoot Tyra a curious look, though she only crossed her arms in response while she and Kira watched him carefully.

"Fine. Here goes," He muttered, planting his feet and reaching under the rock's curve. In all honesty, he wasn't expecting this attempt to be any different from the previous… Though when his end of the rock began to lift, his eyes widened. As did Kira's, though Tyra only smirked.

At seeing that he was making some leeway, Riaku hunched down and growled as he redoubled his efforts. The rock scraped against the ground below while his end continued to rise. It was only once the bottom of the thing, which was covered in fresh mud and flattened grass, was completely facing him that he gave one last exertive grunt and shoved forward with all his strength. The result was a satisfying _thunk_ as the previously immobile boulder flipped onto its other side, its weight causing the earth below to tremble briefly.

Riaku, only slightly panting, shot an amazed look at his company. "What… Just happened?"

"So, you figured it out." Kira mused as her amused gaze shifted to Tyra, "I'm just surprised that it actually worked."

Tyra belted out a hardy laugh. "I'm not as dumb as you think, pony girl. I knew that ol' Alatreon was elementally unstable, so it makes sense that his kid would be too."

"Then, that noogie…" Riaku raised a hand to rub the area she had ruffled. "You mean… _You_ gave me the power to do that?"

"Mm-hm!" She flashed a triumphant grin. "You can thank me now. After all, if I hadn't given you some of my strength, you wouldn't have ever gotten that thing to move."

"But wait… I thought I was only able to absorb elements," His eyes lowered with thought, "But I don't know of any 'strength' element… So how-"

"I think I have the answer," Kira cut in as she closed the book and set it beside her, "You're right, there is no known element like that… Though tigrex always _was_ a peculiar species. After all, isn't it strange how their roars can cause physical damage? Perhaps this is due to an uncatalogued element… Something like 'force'."

"Force…" Riaku echoed longingly.

"Hey, that's not a bad name!" Tyra declared, "Since it's _my_ element, I thought that _I_ should be the one to name it… But force sounds badass enough."

"More importantly, this radically changes things…" Kira continued, "Riaku, do you still feel her strength within you?"

Riaku quickly assessed how he was feeling. "No… Actually, it's the opposite. My arms and legs are starting to feel a bit sore."

Kira raised a finger to her cheek. "Interesting… So my hunch was correct, then. It seems that force amplifies your own strength, though once its effect wears off, your muscles are still affected by your actions under its influence. Perhaps not to the full extent, as you'd hardly be able to move right now if that were the case… Though this could prove to be priceless for your training."

"How so?"

"Geez, kid, don't you know the first thing about working out?" Tyra raised her hands to the back of her head while her eyes idly scanned a nearby mountain. "Your muscles have to break down in order to grow. The fact that I can give you some of my strength means that we can skip the little stuff and dive right into some hardcore routines."

She paused to belt out a laugh. "It'll hurt like hell after the fact, but you should be able to bulk up pretty fast this way."

Riaku couldn't keep a grin from taking over his face. "You mean it? I can really become stronger more quickly this way?"

" _Way_ more quickly," Tyra confirmed with a nod, "But if you want to keep using my force, then you're gonna have to do exactly what I tell you. Got it?"

His smile weakened a bit, though he was still eager to comply. "Sure, anything!"

"That's the spirit!" She barked with laughter. "Alright, listen close, runt. Here's how this'll go: we'll split your workout into three-day cycles. We'll call them A, B, and C-days for short. We'll start each day with stretches and a run, move on to our target, then wrap up with fighting practice."

"Target?" Riaku echoed.

"Yup. A-days are all about upper-body work; we'll focus on your arms, shoulders, and chest. B-days are lower-body, meaning core and legs."

"Alright, so what does that leave for C-days?"

"Ah," Tyra's eyes swept to Kira, who was listening carefully. "Those are your recovery days. I'll let the brainiac choose what happens to you between workouts."

Kira's eyes narrowed. "You're only leaving me one day per cycle?"

The bluenette shrugged. "Look, you know as well as I do that we're fighting against the clock here. If you want the kid to be battle-ready before the Council makes a move, then he's gonna have to spend more time bulking up that tiny body of his."

"I see, so you're rushing his workout schedule…" Kira thought aloud, disregarding the glare that Riaku was casting Lady Tigrex at hearing her last comment.

Tyra nodded. "In a perfect world we could compound some of those sessions and target different muscle groups across several days… But we're not livin' in a perfect world, now are we?"

"No," Kira sighed, "We certainly aren't… Very well, then. C-Days will be for personal development; we'll begin with a hunt in the morning- preferably a different species of monster each quest- and depending on how much time is left when we return, we'll have Riaku study."

"I thought you might try to toss in some nerdy crap," Tyra muttered, "But that boring stuff is perfect for letting him recover. Morning hunts might be a bit rocky at first, though... At least until his body gets used to the new routine."

"That's why we'll accompany him," Kira's eyes flickered back to Riaku, who was listening in on their planning intently. "If the workouts impair his abilities in battle, then we'll assist as much as is needed. That way we'll work on our teamwork skills while also being safe."

"Whatever makes you feel better," Tyra stretched her arms over her head, arching her back as she did so. "I have one last condition, though- from now on, _I'll_ be in charge of the scrub's meals. He needs to seriously increase his protein intake if we're going to get anywhere with this training stuff… So, I'm turning him into a full-on carnivore."

Kira shook her head. "He needs a varied diet. Meat is fine, but there has to be balance."

Tyra crossed her arms in a huff. "Fine. You handle the green stuff, and I'll take care of the rest. Deal?"

"It'll do," Two red eyes shifted to Riaku, "How do _you_ feel what we've discussed?"

He rubbed the back of his head, still smiling. "It sounds great! Whatever it takes to get stronger, I'll do it."

"Good," Tyra's teeth flashed in the sunlight, "Because today's an A-day. Step front and center, maggot!"

The smile on his face drastically subdued at what he knew was coming up next. In an ironic way, he dreaded this part more than the workout itself- a fear that turned out being completely viable, as Tyra once again pulled him into a lock and began grinding her fist against his scalp.

He only hoped that her method of transferring force wouldn't always be this uncomfortable.

* * *

**A-day**

Riaku's grip on the branch tightened as he hoisted himself upward, shaking as his handhold leveled with his chest. Upon reaching his quota, he let out a long exhale and relaxed, allowing his body to lower until he was dangling beneath the branch once more.

"I think… Force is… Running out…" He stammered.

"Good timing, too," Tyra's voice came from below him, "You just finished your last set. Take a load off."

He breathed a sigh of relief and released his hold on the branch, falling weightlessly for a moment before finding himself in Tyra's arms. She set him back on his feet, letting him lean against the tree for a moment as he regained his breath.

Her eyes ghosted over the bare skin of his chest and back. Sweat gleamed in the early afternoon sun, his constant exertion fighting off the crisp mountain breeze. He wasn't in bad shape… His muscular profile wasn't the most impressive she had ever seen, not by a wide margin, but it was obvious that this kid took care of himself. 'Not bad' was far from 'good', though, and she knew that he had a long way to go before he'd be ready to face an Origin.

"What's… Next?" He breathed, turning to look at her while pulling the wet bangs from his forehead.

Well… No one could say he wasn't a hardworking little shit. Straight from one task to the next without hardly a beat between them.

"Next," She replied as she pulled a canteen from his pile of belongings, shed just for this occasion, "You take a break. A short one, though. Got it?"

She tossed the water to him and he fumbled with it for a moment before removing the cap and taking large, needy drinks. He put up a strong front, though by now it was obvious that force was wearing off… And the number of pull-ups she had just put him through was as impressive as the push-ups he had completed earlier. The many variations of each that comprised every set ensured that he was reaching as many muscle groups as possible, and given just how many of them there were to cover, she could hardly imagine any human getting through as much work as he had today.

He wasn't completely human, though, and she knew that. Force was his only chance at these sorts of numbers, and he had been using it so much to get through the day that even _she_ was beginning to feel a bit worn-out.

"How are your arms doing, kid?" She asked with a sideways glance, "Feeling the burn?"

"I'm… Fine," he answered, though his eyes darted away while doing so.

"Don't lie, Riaku." Kira called from nearby, her red eyes gazing at him from over her book. "You can expect for the fatigue in your arms to increase overnight. Work yourself too hard and they'll be useless to you tomorrow."

Tyra instinctively waved her off. "Ah, he's fine. You get out what you put in, and he's putting in hard work."

She said those things, true, but even she could see that he was on his last leg for the day. Even with force's temporary boosts to his stamina, it seemed that his threshold for endurance lowered a bit with each time that she transferred power to him.

"That said," She continued while scratching her cheek with a finger, "We haven't even sparred yet. Let's see how you're feeling after we have a match or two. How's that sound?"

"Whatever you say," He rubbed his left bicep with a wince before crossing to his stack of belongings and putting on his coat. "Jeez… Has this thing always been so warm?"

"It's not the coat that's hot, Riaku, it's _you_." Kira's eyes returned to the pages of her book. "That can be taken two different ways… Both are correct."

While Riaku's face- which was already pink from exertion- turned a bit redder, Tyra cocked an eyebrow at the bookworm. It was rare to see an Origin flirting, as they tended to be more into themselves than other beings. Not to mention that mating for offspring was off the table, meaning that there was very little point in romance…

 _Unless_ …

Her aquamarine eyes swept back to Riaku, who had finished with his coat and was now gathering his sword and shield with a lingering blush. It hadn't really occurred to her before now that this kid was a born exception to the rule that separated Origin Monsters and humans… And if the oh-so intelligent Lady Kirin had taken an interest in him, then was it possible that he could actually..?

"Alright, you ready?" He asked as he faced Tyra, weaponry in hand.

She immediately ended the train of thought and gave him a competitive grin. "Let's see if you can actually fight back, instead of just dodge my attacks all the time."

As it turned out, the answer to that question was "no". At least, not against her and her affinity for swinging a giant blade about as if it were a switch.

After a few bouts, the tip of Riaku's sword began to lower as the last traces of force were used up. When he struggled to even hold up his shield anymore, his teachers decided that it was time to call it a day. Tyra saw to it that he ate twice as much meat as normal- the likes of which were scraps compared to her choice cuts, though they were meat all the same- while Kira made sure that fresh vegetables gave his plate variety.

Riaku struggled to finish the mountain of food before saying goodnight to everyone and trudging up the stairs, disrobing and collapsing in bed just in time to fall into deep sleep.

* * *

**B-day**

Riaku was struggling to time his heavy breathing with his footsteps. He was dripping with sweat and his arms, having run the gamut the day prior, were hurting even though they contributed very little to his current task. Even having them locked at his sides, bent at the elbow to stride beside his chest, was enough to send dull shocks through them- a reminder that they were in the throes of rebuilding their strength. It was exactly what he had set out to accomplish, though he was left clueless as to how he was going to be able to hunt in this state the next morning.

He finally made yet another full lap around the lake, and once he had come into the view of his two mentors, Tyra called out to him.

"Alright, scrub, that'll do!"

He breathed a silent prayer of thanks and slowed to a walk in their direction, trying his damnedest not to wheeze or cough despite the icy burning in his throat and lungs.

"Canteen," He grunted as he approached, a bit too winded for pleasantries at the moment. Luckily Tyra didn't seem to mind and tossed it to him, and within seconds, he was guzzling the water down, trickles of it running down from his lips to drip from his jawline.

"What, was a little run too much for you?" Tyra teased, "I was even nice enough to let you go in the morning when it was cooler, yet here you are, gasping like a fish outta water."

Riaku's glaring blue eyes shifted to her, though he didn't dare stop drinking just to fire back. This course of action seemed more rewarding, regardless, as she digressed.

"Nah, you did good out there, small fry. You didn't even have to use force to get through your run, so good on ya for that." Her eyes shifted away as she rubbed the back of her head. "You'll definitely need it for what's next, though."

He finally drained the last of the canteen, his lips popping off the rim before he tightened the cap back on and tossed it onto his discarded jacket once again.

"Alright, so what's next?" He asked, still catching his breath, "You said B-days are for legs and core, right?"

She nodded. "Don't worry your pretty little head about it, it'll be a blast."

He grimaced. "Somehow I doubt that."

"As you rightfully should," Kira interjected from over the pages of yet another book.

Tyra gave a chuckle as she crossed to Riaku and rested her arm on his shoulder. "Today's tasks are lunges, crunches, squats, planks… Ya know, the basics."

Her aquamarine eyes shifted to a nearby rock face, a cliff that was nearly completely vertical. "But first, there's a test I wanna run."

Riaku felt himself grow lighter as the telltale signs of force entered his body from where her arm was touching him. After a brief moment she pulled away and nodded at the wall.

"Alright, I want you to try jumping to the top in one go."

Riaku cocked an eyebrow at her before extending the look to the cliff. It looked to be around twelve meters tall before the virtually flat surface tapered into a manageable slope… With that said, reaching the top with anything less than full climbing gear seemed impossible for a regular person.

"Are you sure about this?" He asked slowly, "I mean, I know that force helped me move that rock and all, but…"

She shrugged. "Our head researcher over there told me that she wants you to learn how to fight aerially, and for once I kinda agree with her. If you don't make it to the top, then at least we'll know what level your abilities are at now- but you'd better not use that as an excuse not to do your best! If you slack on this then it's another round of laps, got it?"

He shivered at the thought of more running and nodded at her before making it to the foot of the cliff. He swallowed as he looked up- from here it looked even taller than it had before. Regardless, he began to crouch, storing up power in his legs before springing upward with as much force as he could. As a result, the wind rushed past him as he rocketed along the cliff's face. His surprised blue eyes shot to the ground that was steadily growing further away before he looked back up with a surprised chuckle. It had seemed like an impossible task just a moment ago, though as he continued to speed upward, he began to think that he might just be able to pull it off after all.

It was at that exact moment that his momentum began to slow, however, and before long he was left in the cartoonish position of suspending in midair. He reached for the cliff's edge longingly, though it was still a good meter or so above his fingertips. With no handheld available to save himself with, his attention was once more directed toward the ground- which was now growing rapidly closer with his descent.

He cried out in alarm and tensed in suspense of the inevitable collision, though was grateful to be stopped by two arms rather than the frozen dirt below.

"Close, but no cigar…" Tyra sighed as she pushed him to his feet a bit more powerfully than he would have liked. "You sure you couldn't have reached the top if you really tried?"

Riaku recovered from stumbling forward and turned to face her. "Yeah, I'm pretty sure… I think I used up all of my force in that one jump."

"Damn…" Her eyes lowered to the ground while she scratched the side of her head. "I know you're part human and all, kid, but this is turning out to be a lot of work."

"At least we learned something from that little test of yours," Kira mused from nearby, "From what I can tell, force can only push its user as far as their body will allow. If I'm correct, then Riaku should be able to make that jump after strengthening his legs a bit more."

"I hope you're right," Tyra crossed her arms and gave Riaku a long look. "Otherwise there's no hope for humanity."

"Hey, it wasn't _that_ bad!" Riaku shot back, "I almost made it, you know. With that sort of height, I could mount just about any monster in battle."

Tyra chuffed before stepping forward and flicking her student in the forehead. "Yeah, but the goal is to mount _without_ having to use force- and since you used every bit I gave you and _still_ weren't able to make it up that cliff, I'm gonna double your reps for today. Got it?"

He paused in rubbing his forehead with a wince to shoot her an amazed look. " _Double_ them? I can barely even use my arms after a yesterday's workout, and now you want to make me do _twice_ as much? Are you trying to keep me from walking?"

She gave a gruff chuckle as her eyes flashed dangerously. "If that's what it takes, then yes. Now c'mon, runt, follow me. I don't care if we have to carry you home by the time we're through- you're gonna do every last rep!"

As it turned out, carrying Riaku home was exactly what took place when all was said and done. After innumerable variations of lower-body exercises fueled by a steady stream of force, Riaku was left hardly able to stand. As a result he had to return to town with his arms draped over the shoulders of his mentors- an indignity that he excused, given his exhaustion. After a hardy meal, Riaku trudged to his room and retired for the night- and as Gaia had also turned in early, the two Origins were left alone together at the candlelit dining table.

"I'm surprised he made it up the stairs on his own," Tyra thought aloud once she had heard his bedroom door close, "I guess I could have squeezed in a bit more work, after all."

Kira shook her head. "I understand your haste in training him, but do you really need to be so intense? Surely leaving him half-dead at the end of every day isn't good for his health."

"Aah, he's fine," Tyra waved her off, "Force hasn't let him pull anything yet, and the squirt already agreed to the pain if it meant getting stronger faster. Who am I to stand in his way?"

Kira sighed. "That may be the case, though maybe it would be wise to go a little easier on him. After all, he's not an Origin like us."

"That's all the more reason to push him," Tyra argued, "I mean, his opponents are supposed to be the Council, right? They're not gonna go easy on him just because he's part-human."

Kira's eyes lowered. "Even so…"

The other girl groaned. "Look, the only reason you're saying that is because you _like_ him- like, as a mate. Am I right?"

Two red eyes rose to stare back into Tyra's own. "So, you've figured it out."

"Yeah. News flash: it wasn't hard to piece together." Tyra paused to stretch out in her chair. "I don't think I've ever seen an Origin flirt the way you do with him, and he responds like a blushing schoolgirl."

Kira crossed her arms and leaned back in her seat. "He can't help his inexperience- Riaku's never been in a relationship before. He's treated like an outcast by his peers and hardly has a friend in this town."

"I figured as much," Tyra muttered before leaning in, "So what made _you_ take a liking to him? Don't get me wrong, the kid's not half-bad looking or anything… It's just that he's so mediocre in every other way. He's not super strong, fast, or smart- so why is an Origin like you settling for a mutt like him?"

Kira closed her eyes and let out a long exhale through her nose. "Since you're helping Riaku train, I've been excusing your name-calling toward him…"

When her eyes opened once more, the stoic red irises had morphed into fiery glints. "However, I'll not have you speak down to my mate directly to me. Is that understood?"

Tyra flinched at the sudden abrasiveness in Kira's voice, though the flash of concern on her face was quickly replaced with a provocative grin. "You don't scare me, pony girl. You know that, don't you?"

Kira eyed her for a long moment before nodding, her eyes remaining fixed on Tyra's own. "I had a suspicion. Whether it's out of confidence or foolishness, though, remains to be seen... Either way, it would seem you still haven't learned your lesson, even after the last time we met."

"Oh yeah?" Tyra shot back, "Then why don't you give me a refresher course? I'd be glad to have a rematch with you. After all, I never really got the bad taste you left outta my mouth."

Kira continued to stare at her for another moment before sighing and shaking her head again. "I have no interest in fighting you. Not now, when my focus needs to be set on Riaku… And even with the bad blood between you and I, I'm not ungrateful to you."

"Wait, now you're thanking me?" Tyra asked with a cocked brow, "Never thought I'd see the day. Where did _that_ come from?"

The white-haired girl's expression betrayed anger for a stoic annoyance. "It's only been a few days, true, though you've kept your word and diligently trained Riaku from dawn to dusk. It's too early to see the benefit of your labor, but I know that Riaku is growing faster under your guidance than he could under mine alone. For that I'm grateful."

Tyra leaned back and scratched her cheek with a finger. "You're sayin' that now, but I'm not blind. I know that you've been keeping a close eye on me when I'm around him. Maybe now that you see I'm serious about this, you'll let me train him alone for once?"

"Not a chance."

Tyra's brow furrowed at the immediate response. "Why not? It's not like I plan on hurting him or anything."

"It doesn't matter. He's too important for me to take unnecessary risks like that."

"You mean the prophesy?"

"That's certainly a part of it, yes." Kira nodded, "Though he's also my mate… And I'll not entrust his safety to someone else so easily."

Tyra thought for a moment. "Probably a smart choice. You still haven't told me why you chose _him_ to be your mate, though."

Kira's eyes lowered to the table between them, and they remained there for several seconds before she answered. "It would seem I've underestimated your wit. Not to offend you, but you never struck me as the most intelligent... However, you quickly figured out that power could be transferred to Riaku, and even asserted that he and I were together based off relatively few interactions. With that said, it would be pointless to try hiding from you the fact that Riaku might be able to reproduce with Origin Monsters."

Tyra let the insult slide and instead focused on the last point. "Yeah, I figured something like that was going on. Are you sure though? That he can knock us up, I mean?"

Kira shook her head. "I have no proof, though he's certainly the most capable of doing so to have ever lived… Or who ever will, for that matter."

"So, you like him because he _might_ be able to give you kids?" Tyra asked, "That's really all it took for you to commit to him?"

"No… It's more than that…" Kira averted her eyes as her cheeks began to warm, "Not that I'd expect _you_ to care, given that you're more interested in results than intent… But Riaku works very hard. He doesn't give up, and even in the short time I've been training him, the rate at which he improves is incredible. I initially wanted to be with him so that I could at least have a chance at becoming a mother, but lately… Well, I've been thinking that- even if having children is impossible- maybe it would be enough for me just to have _him_."

Tyra watched Kira carefully for a long moment. "I can't say that I get where you're coming from. Yeah, he tries hard, but I don't think he's incredible or anything. Maybe you see something in him that I don't."

She suddenly stood from the table and gave a long stretch. "But anyway, he's not a bad guy. Even if he somehow pissed me off, I'd probably think twice before killing him."

Kira's eyes flashed. "You'd better make that three times, if you value your own life."

Tyra chuckled, then began to cross to the hall that held the guest bedrooms. "It was a joke, pony girl. I'm not gonna hurt the pipsqueak… Well, not intentionally anyway. Surviving my training is another story, though."

With that as a farewell, Tyra made her way into the first bedroom on the left and closed the door behind her with a yawn. Kira eyed her door even after she had gone, then shifted her gaze to the stairs. A ghost of a smile tugged at her lips before she, too, stood from the table and extinguished the candles then turned for the hall. She paused to shoot one last look at the second floor's only door before humming and retiring to her own room for the night.

* * *

**C-day**

Riaku leaped forward and twisted his body out of the way of the oncoming attack, watching a flash of white fur pass him as he straightened out to land. His feet hit the ground and, despite the throbbing pain that lit up in his legs at the impact, began to charge after the lagombi that had just slid past him.

The thin, compact snow beneath his feet made for a quick acceleration, though this environment wasn't particularly good for this fight; after all, the lagombi's core strategy in battle involved sliding along the ground on its smooth belly to deliver fast and powerful blows against its opponents. A hardened dusting of snow made for the perfect texture to slide across, and as such, Riaku and his party had been subject to repeated attempts at being run over by the giant rabbit.

Lagombi were rather cute by monster standards, boasting large ears as well as round bellies. Their thick coat of soft white fur caused the subdued purples of their faces and stomachs to stand out even more than they would have otherwise, the combination of colors coming together to create a sight that was cuddly and harmless in appearance. However, their muscular back legs and forearms, outfitted with rows of thick claws, were a sharp reminder that these monsters were dangerous- though the real threat came from their habit of launching their impressive bulk across the ice at astounding speeds.

The monster in question turned just as Riaku approached its haunches, offering him a window to attack. He sprung forward and gave a swift downward slash, the edge of his blade carving through the coat of the lagombi's neck with ease. A thin stream of blood poured into the snow before subsiding, though the rabbit-like monster hardly flinched at the attack. Instead it swatted at Riaku with one of its giant paws while lowly chittering through its large outer fangs. Riaku extended his shield against the bat and jumped backward in time with the impact, allowing him to put a few extra meters between him and the threat.

"Way to go, rookie!" Tyra's strong voice called from across the clearing, "Let me have a turn at 'em now!"

Riaku breathed a silent prayer of thanks for the break, as his arms and legs were still engulfed in dull pain as a result of his recent training. Even being able to fight at all was a miracle that he contributed to force's mysterious effects on his body. Given that fact, he watched Tyra go a round with the lagombi while he took turns rubbing his biceps and shifting his weight between legs to offer momentary relief from the soreness.

In keeping with what she had told Instructor Koh, Tyra had made the necessary adjustments to her armor in order to be more comfortable in it. However, her modifications of choice were… _Primitive_ to say the least, almost to the point of being counterproductive; portions of the coat's sleeves had been ripped clean off, the frays of their borders falling halfway down her forearms. The gloves and cap to the set had been discarded altogether, and a large V-shape was carved from her collar, exposing bits of shoulder and cleavage to the mountain air- which apparently didn't bother her in the slightest. Even her pants had a fair bit of tearing running horizontally down the legs, which left her boots the only part of her armor which wasn't violently altered in some way.

While Riaku was sure that any armorer worth their salt would go white at seeing her mutilation of the set, she seemed happy with it, and her movements seemed totally unobstructed. This was proven as she descended upon the lagombi with a barrage of slashes as well as smacks with the side of her giant blade.

"Leave some of the work for Riaku," Kira called to Tyra from a few meters away, "This fight is still a part of his training, after all."

Tyra growled n annoyance as she swatted a clawed swipe away with ease. "Are you always this much of a killjoy? You do realize that I haven't been able to hunt since I've started training the newbie, right? I _need_ this!"

As if to demonstrate her point, she smacked her target across the face with the blunt of her sword, causing it to stumble backward while shaking its head.

"We're not here for fun," Kira argued, "Riaku needs to experience facing different monsters so that he can be prepared for whatever the Council throws at him."

Her voice drew the monster's attention from Tyra momentarily. It stood on its hind legs and bent to scoop into the snow with its giant paws, struggling for a moment before launching a ball of earth at the white-haired girl. Kira merely rolled out of the way, reducing the image of the potentially fatal attack to that of a harmless snowball fight.

Tyra groaned before her eyes swept to the boy in question. "Fine. Whatever. Hey Riaku, how about you draw its attention? If you don't finish this thing off soon, then I'm seriously gonna take it out myself."

Riaku nodded and turned his gaze to the rabbit in question, which had turned to face him as well by happenstance. As it lowered onto all fours and began hunching into its hind legs, his blue eyes narrowed. He began sprinting toward the monster even as his legs burned beneath him, and when the lagombi thrust forward with incredible speed, he once again went for an adept-style dodge- though this time he kept his sword extended, just enough to shred ribbons into the monster's fur as it passed him.

He landed from the dodge and made to rush after his target, though paused when Tyra gave another annoyed growl. "You just gonna keep jumping out of its way, you pansy? Attack it, already!"

He turned to glare at her. "What am I supposed to do, if not dodge? Do you _see_ how big that thing is? It would flatten me if I got hit!"

She sneered at him. "Afraid of a bunny, mister hero?"

"That's not it!" He yelled, feeling his face grow red at her taunting. "There's a difference between being brave and being stupid!"

"Stupid?" She echoed before laughing, "Nah, you're just weak! Watch closely, pup."

Her aquamarine eyes turned on the lagombi, which had slid to a stop and was turning to face the group once more. At first its red eyes flickered between Kira and Riaku, though as Tyra planted the end of her sword into the snow and gave the steel a few loud punches, it directed its attention at her.

"Alright, snowflake!" She called through a toothy grin, "Come and get some!"

Regardless of whether or not the lagombi understood her words, the message was received. At once it lowered into position to slide again, and as it shot toward Tyra with renewed vigor, her grin widened. Riaku watched until the last second, marveling at how Tyra stood behind her blade as this giant monster, multiple times her human form's size, careened toward her. Right before the impact, though, he looked away with a wince, unprepared to watch someone die in front of him. There was a deafening metallic bang, then an eerie silence. Riaku reluctantly opened his eyes to see the result, only to have them widen in disbelief.

The lagombi was swaying this way and that with lowered ears, stumbling in place as it seemed severely disoriented. Right in front of it was Tyra, looking exactly as she had before the collision- albeit having been pushed back a meter or two, large ridges in the snow showing that her sword had been tilled backward from the force of the attack. A fresh scuff could be seen in the center of her sword's side, a blemish that Riaku could only imagine came from the lagombi's skull.

"It's not stupidity if you can back it up," She said as she hoisted the blade over one of her shoulders, "Get strong and you'll see that facing an attack head-on is just as good as dodging."

The amazement at what he had just seen hadn't the time to completely rush over Riaku before Kira spoke up. "Ironically enough, that was a good demonstration of the 'brave' hunting style- a tactic that hunters use alongside the adept and aerial styles."

"Brave style…" Riaku repeated as his eyes once again shifted to the lagombi, which was still regaining its bearings in the wake of the devastating collision. He had never heard of a monster that size being deflected by a single hunter like that before… Probably because the strength required to do so would be immense.

Tyra could do it, though, and since his body was compatible with her force, it stood to reason that he could do it, too. He briefly recalled what Kira had said about his body placing limitations upon force and felt a fresh spark of determination ignite within him; he wanted that power _desperately_ , the ability to stop his opponents in their tracks with a block. His eyes lowered to his shield arm, which was trembling with soreness as it struggled to hold the heavy barrier up.

 _With how I am currently, there's no way I could do something that amazing… But if I train hard enough, then I'm sure I could master the brave style_. He nodded to himself, a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. _This pain is nothing if it means I can have that strength for myself someday- so I'll work twice as hard until I become like Tyra!_

He was pulled out of his thoughts by shouting. "Hey, airhead! You gonna finish this thing off or what?"

He snapped back into the current moment and nodded before charging at the lagombi. "I'm on it!"

From there it wasn't long before the lagombi was finished off. It was already tired and wounded from the fight, so more and more windows to attack were opened for Riaku until he was finally given a shot at its throat. A spray of blood and a dull thud later, the group were making their way back toward Pokke with a paw hanging from Riaku's belt.

Upon returning to his village, the three stopped inside the Guild to receive their reward money for the quest. Riaku felt his spirits lift when he exchanged the paw for a hefty bag of coin- it had amazed him this morning to find that hunters had to pay fees in order to reserve quests. Even as the Guild staff had explained to him that these fees covered the cost of running a retrieval cart and providing transportation for the hunting party should the circumstance require it, he had very begrudgingly handed the required zenny over while asking why there was no fee for open contracts. With a thin smile she had told him that these costs were already deducted from anything on the board outside- which paid considerably less than official hunts as it was, since there was no client to assist in offering a reward.

It all made sense to him, though that didn't make handing the money over any easier. Now, however, as he was being given several times what he had put in, the concept of fees didn't seem so bad.

The trio divvied up the coin and Tyra immediately split from the group to find the nearest tavern. That left Riaku and Kira alone, which worked well given what day it was.

"So, what now?" He asked Kira once his other mentor had gone, "You said C-days were for studying, right?"

She nodded at him. "Yes. First, we need to get you the proper materials- come with me."

At first they stopped by Elder Maria's residence, who had welcomed them in with her usual smile.

"What brings the two of you here today?" She had asked once the duo had joined her in her study, "Also, where is Lady Ti- erm, I mean, Tyra today?"

"Don't worry," Kira had said with a faint smile in return, "She's out drinking right now. From what I can tell, she doesn't mean anyone in Pokke harm."

The Elder sighed. "I'll trust your judgment, Lady Kirin… I only hope that the other tavern-goers will be careful around her. She's a bit on the… _abrasive_ side, even without the involvement of liquid courage. My, I certainly wouldn't want to see her after a few rounds."

Kira nodded with a hum. "Regardless, that's not why we're here. Has there been any word of potential Origin Monsters yet?"

Maria shook her head. "I'm afraid not. I've kept a close eye on the Guild, though nothing seems out of the ordinary so far."

"That's fine. I appreciate your diligence."

The old woman chuckled. "It's my honor, Lady Kirin. Is there anything else I could assist with?"

Kira's eyes shifted to the bookshelves behind the Elder. "Actually, yes. I would like to borrow some of your books."

"Again, so soon? You don't mean to tell me that you've already finished the previous? Even with _your_ intelligence, Lady Kirin, that compilation work is rather hefty."

The edges of Kira's lips upturned a bit. "True, though I'll be through with it before long… No, they won't be for me. The books I hope to borrow will be for Riaku's studies."

The Elder's eyes widened in recollection before she turned for the line of bookshelves. "Oh, absolutely! Is there any subject in particular that you're interested in teaching him?"

"There are," Kira's red eyes ghosted over the impressive volume of works to choose from, "Though they'll take me a moment to collect. In the meantime, I'd like Riaku to pick a book for himself."

"Me?" He asked in surprise, "What for?"

Kira chuckled in her throat as she crossed to the nearest shelf and began tracing a fingertip over the spines, seeming to be in search of something specific. "I can teach you any number of things, Riaku, though I wouldn't want to neglect your own interests in doing so. In order to keep things at least a little entertaining for you, I've decided to give you a portion of every C-day for independent studies. Now go on, pick something that stands out to you."

He scratched his head before turning from her to face the collection of books. It seemed that Kira's advice to gather knowledge hadn't been lost on Pokke's Elders, as virtually any subject could be found here. That made finding a singular book a daunting task- near-impossible, even, as Riaku hadn't the slightest idea where to start.

"A bit overwhelmed, are we?" Maria asked from beside him, breaking him from his thoughts.

"Yeah…" He rubbed the back of his neck. "Honestly, I don't even know where to begin with all of this."

The old woman hummed. "Well, then, let's narrow your criteria. If you had to pick something that you'd like to know more about, what would it be?"

He thought for a minute before getting an idea. "Well, I've always liked learning about monsters… Especially about ones that aren't from around here. Do you have a book that has a lot of information on that sort of thing?"

She chuckled before walking past him to the shelf on the far right. "Oh, do I. If you want to learn more about monsters, then this is what you'll want… Though I'll have to warn you, it's very exhaustive."

She pulled out a particularly large book- leather-bound with thick sheets of parchment- before blowing a thin layer of dust from the copy and handing it to Riaku. He accepted it and was amazed at its weight, an observation that was made all the more impressive coming from someone who regularly carried a steel shield around. That brought into question how she was able to lift it so easily at her age, though he put that thought aside to read the cover.

"Hunter's Encyclopedia?" He read as he ran a thumb over the faded red leather, which was engraved with equally worn yellow text. "I've never heard of this book before."

"I wouldn't expect you to," The Elder replied with a smile, "Copies of that encyclopedia are rather scarce, as it was first issued quite some time ago. It's a compilation of information on nearly all known monsters, made up of knowledge gathered from hunters, explorers, and researchers all across the world- invaluable information, though with the presence of the Guild serving as an authority on all things monster-related, the need for a book like this has become increasingly scant in recent years. What you're holding could very well be one of the last copies in existence."

Riaku looked upon the book with increasing awe before giving the Elder a determined smile. "I'll take great care of it, I promise! You'll hardly know I had it by the time you get it back."

Maria shook her head, her smile unwavering. "Don't fret over it, Riaku. While your diligence is appreciated, as Lady Kirin would put it, I'd like to give you that book as a gift."

His eyes widened. "Are you sure? You just told me about how rare and important this thing was, right? So why would you give it to me, then?"

She waved him off. "I've had my fill of that book, Riaku, while you stand to glean much more from it. It will be nice to know that it's getting some use rather than rotting away on some shelf. All I ask is that you take good care of it."

His surprised look rose into a grin. "I'll do that. Thank you so much, Elder!"

Maria couldn't reply before Kira turned to face them, a stack of books varying in size stacked in her arms. "I believe I've found everything that I've come for as well. Thank you, as always, for your support, Maria."

The Elder shook her head. "Think nothing of it, neither of you. My door is always open should you need more."

After brief goodbyes, Kira and Riaku were led outside. They had hardly received a polite nod from the Elder's assistant and taken a step onto the streets before Kira turned to her mate.

"Here," She said while carefully stacking her own books atop his encyclopedia, "Carry these, if you'd please."

Riaku's teeth grit at the extra weight in his arms- which were still beyond sore from his prior workout. "Can't _you_ carry them? I'm sort of… You know, in pain?"

A red eye flickered to him over a small smirk. "Shouldn't the male be glad to carry heavy objects for his mate?"

"Maybe so," He grunted in response while adjusting his grasp on the stack, "But I'm kind of struggling here. Besides, I _know_ you're not so weak that you'd need my help."

"Correct," Kira smiled and nodded at a passerby before her eyes shifted to a nearby line of shops, "But it's the thought that counts. Don't worry, we won't be out for long. You can think of this as extra training, if it helps."

"It really doesn't."

"Then I'll put it a different way: we're going shopping and I'll need my hands free to carry our purchases." Riaku hadn't the time to ask what they would be shopping for before she paused and turned toward a small armory. "… And here's our first stop."

The two made their way inside to find a very modest layout- a glass counter containing an array of small weapons and decorations for armor sets. Behind the counter were lines of swords, shields, and raw materials, all neatly hanging on two of the room's walls. The third, which was opposite the shop's entrance, was pushed back to allow room for a forge, anvil, vice, and other similar tools. One man was hammering at a glowing red sword from that area while another greeted the two from his seat across the counter.

"Welcome!" He had begun generically before his eyes widened a bit. "Oh, could it be? Riaku Haidoji finally stops by _my_ shop!"

Riaku set the books down onto the counter with a huff before rubbing his biceps gingerly and turning to the man. "Sorry… Do I know you?"

The armorer- a thirty-something with an average build and thick beard- slapped his knee through his trousers. "Ah, so he _did_ forget. Dammit."

The man in the back paused in his labor to belt out a hardy laugh. "You owe me a drink, Ivan! I told you the boy wouldn't take you up on your offer!"

The armorer tsked before Kira raised a finger to her cheek. "Pardon me, but might I ask what offer you're referring to?"

"Ah, it was nothing," Ivan muttered, his mood having immediately turned sour, "When Riaku here was wheeled in on that tigrex the other day, I offered him my services. Every day since I've waited here for him to drop by, only to find that he forgot about me."

Riaku rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. "Sorry… If I'm being honest, a lot of people were talking to me that day. It was all kind of a blur."

The man grunted. "No matter, you've come in for something else today. What can I do for ya?"

"Whetstones," Kira answered simply, "Do you have any for sale?"

"Is that all?" Ivan asked with a renewed sense of disbelief, "Whetstones? Of course I've got 'em! Any old armorer is up to their ears in 'em! I'm practically giving them away!"

"Great," Kira replied within a beat, "We'll take three, if you'd please."

Ivan chuffed sarcastically before standing and making his way to the back with a shaking head. "Really, the talk of the town _finally_ stops by, and what's it for? Bloody whetstones. _Whetstones_ , of all things!"

Riaku and Kira exchanged tentative glances at the man's aggravation before the sword-maker yelled to them over his hammering. "Ah, don't mind Ivan there. He was just hopeful that he'd be able to craft somethin' for the up-and-coming hunter."

"Really?" Riaku asked, hardly able to keep the grin from his face at the recognition.

"Yeah," Ivan growled as he returned and set three blocks of whetstone on the counter, "It's a shame to send you off with something as basic as this, but… Well, here you are. Ten zenny a block should do."

Riaku offered him an apologetic smile as he fished out the coin and handed it over. "Sorry to disappoint you… I really don't have need for an armorer right now, though."

"I can see that, kid." Ivan said with a distasteful glance at Riaku's tigrex shoulder guards. His eyes lingered on Kira's work for a moment before lowering to the young hunter's shield, upon which they lit up from beneath furrowed eyebrows. "Unless…"

"Unless what?"

Ivan's face broke into a grin while he snapped with an idea. "That's it! Maybe I _can_ do a bit of work for you, after all!"

Even though he had no idea what Ivan was on about, Riaku found the man's excitement contagious. "Really? Like what?"

"Your shield, son," Ivan began, "D'you always keep its handle looped around your forearm like that?"

Riaku shot a glance at the shield in question, which he indeed kept looped around his arm to free up his hand. It was an uncomfortable arrangement, though the convenience of it won him over regardless.

"Yeah, pretty much…" Riaku admitted.

Ivan chuckled. "Hand me your shield, son- your coat, too."

Riaku hesitated only for a moment before complying. Ivan carried his belongings to the back while whistling happily before pulling bits of iron fittings from a crate and fiddling with the armor. A bit of ironwork later, he returned and handed Riaku his coat.

"Put that back on and let me know if you feel any tugging on your arm."

Riaku cocked an eyebrow but again did as he was told, noting an additional weight on his left arm. He looked down and found two spaced steel loops fitted on the coat, a metallic clip facing outward on each. There was also a strange button jutting from either side of both attachments.

"No, it feels fine."

Ivan nodded with a hum. "Good. Now, hold your arm out for me."

Once Riaku had done so, Ivan turned the shield so that his two customers could see the inside. The leather handle was still in place, though two iron clasps were conjoined to the steel on either side of it. With one hand Ivan would push the buttons in on one of the coat's clips, allowing the connectors on the shield to slide over them. Once in place, the buttons sprung outward again, fitting perfectly into holes installed in the shield's connectors- effectively fixing the shield to Riaku's arm once both connectors had been locked.

"There!" Ivan had declared while crossing his arms, "Now your hand is free, _and_ you can carry your shield without looking like a novice. Of course, if you ever want to hold it the old-fashioned way, you just press those buttons to release it, then hold the handle like you usually would. Easy fix."

Riaku let the slight against him slide as he rotated his forearm, inspecting Ivan's handywork in awe. "This is great, thanks so much!"

"How much for the upgrade?" Kira asked, eyeing Riaku's reaction with amusement in her eyes.

"Ah, right…" Ivan scratched the back of his head. "I suppose I didn't give you a price, now did I? Well, it's too late for that now. I suppose it's on the house."

Riaku finally drew his eyes from the shield to face the man. "Are you sure? I'd hate to make you work for free. Isn't there anything I could do to repay you?"

Ivan hummed in thought, his brow furrowed, when the other man suddenly spoke up. "Hey! Don't let 'em off that easy! Remember the ice crystal?"

A light of recollection flickered in Ivan's eyes while he snapped his fingers. "That's right! Instead of paying with zenny, maybe you could help me in a different way… And hey, if you do a good job of it, I could even compensate you for the job."

"I'd love to help!" Riaku immediately replied, though Kira was much more hesitant.

"That is," She added on to her mate's agreement, "Depending on what sort of work we're talking about here."

"Right, right…" Ivan's eyes rose with thought. "See, there's a deposit of ice crystal in a cave not far from here. I'd love to get in there and mine some for my wares, but there's a monster prowlin' about."

"A real ugly one, at that." The other man spat.

"What kind of monster?" Riaku asked.

Ivan grunted. "A khezu. Real nasty one, too- shoots its lightning at just about anything that moves."

"I see," Kira mused, "That _does_ seem like a problem."

Ivan nodded. "The bastard makes it nay impossible to get close… And that leads us to the matter at hand. Tell ya what, Riaku; you go out there and kill that khezu for me, and I'll give you that shield brace _plus_ a bit of coin. I can't pay quite as much as the Guild would, though… Sorry 'bout that."

Riaku shook his head before shooting a look at Kira. "That's not a problem at all. We can take care of it, right?"

Kira nodded. "We might not be able to get to it for another few days, though. Would that be alright?"

Ivan gave a hardy laugh. "Fine by me! I'm in no great rush, so as long as you get that beast out of my hair within a week, we have a deal."

He extended his hand for Riaku, who hastily took it in his own and gave a shake. "That khezu is as good as dead."

Ivan grunted as he released the boy's hand and took a seat at his side of the counter. "Coming from anyone else, I'd chalk that up to chest-beating. You killed a tigrex, though, so it shouldn't give you much trouble... Just make sure you take care of your friend there- I wouldn't want her getting hurt on my behalf."

Riaku shot a beaming grin at Kira, whose smirk betrayed the spark of intense annoyance in her eyes. "For sure! She's a bit hopeless right now, but I'll keep an eye on her!"

The men shared a laugh before the duo said their goodbyes and headed out once more. They hardly made it out the door, however, before Kira turned and dropped her newly acquired whetstones atop the stack of books that Riaku was holding. He grunted in pain and effort, adjusting his grip on the weight before glaring at her.

"What was _that_ for?"

"You know perfectly well," She answered in a sickeningly sweet voice. "Maybe next time you'll think twice before calling me 'hopeless'."

He muttered something indistinct under his breath but didn't dare to object.

They stopped at a few more stores to stock up on hunting supplies; potions, antidotes, and rations, as well as a leather satchel for Riaku to take on hunts. Kira had instructed him on the importance of being prepared before going on a hunt, then demonstrated a few bargaining techniques to drop the price of goods- techniques that Riaku felt unequipped to mimic, as they usually comprised of batting eyelashes, girlish giggling, and sweet compliments. These methods worked on a majority of shopkeepers, though some of the sterner salesmen required harder strategies like price comparison or earnest bargaining. In typical Kira fashion, though, the two returned to Gaia's house without paying full price for a single ware.

From there they polished and sharpened their swords, then had a meal and talked with Gaia for a bit about the lagombi hunt before beginning Riaku's studying. Books had been splayed out upon the dining room table, with Kira sitting on one side while Riaku listened on from the other. One by one Kira tackled subjects while Riaku followed along in books or hastily scribbled notes to reference later. The humanities were covered, as were combat theory and battle strategy. After a few hours had passed- having gone by surprisingly quickly for Riaku, who tended to lose interest in topics beyond the scope of monster hunting- Kira finally resigned with a sigh.

"That's enough for today," She stated as she stretched her arms over her head. "You may now begin your independent studies."

By this point it had turned dark outside, and the few candles set out on the table between them were the only source of light. Riaku's face was cast in soft oranges as he nodded and closed the current book he was studying, setting it aside with his notes before reaching for the Hunter's Encyclopedia. There was an anxious excitement as he cracked it open to find a scene of various monsters locked in combat, each illustrated in a tribal fashion that bordered the restated title. He was tempted to go page-by-page, carefully reading about every species that the book listed, but instead took a moment to skim through the index. He was happy to find that the monsters were listed alphabetically, and as such flipped through pages until he reached the letter C.

Kira eyed him for a moment before reaching for her own book and beginning to silently read as well. It was only when Riaku let out an aggravated exhale several minutes later that her eyes rose from the pages.

"Having difficulties?"

He rubbed the back of his neck, refusing to lift his eyes from the Encyclopedia. "Yeah… I can't find a certain monster."

She hummed. "Which one?"

"Crimson fatalis," He answered while flipping through the Cs for the umpteenth time. "That's the name of the monster that destroyed my village, right?"

"Mm-hm. Have you tried looking at the page for fatalis? It's likely mentioned there."

He finally lifted his eyes to meet her own. "But why? They're different monsters, aren't they?"

"Yes and no," She began while thoughtfully raising a finger to her cheek, "Crimson fatalis is what is known as a 'subspecies'... A type of monster that shares core traits with another that is more widespread, though has enough differences to warrant its own classification."

"Subspecies, huh?" He echoed before returning his attention to the book. He took a moment to flip to the Fs, and soon after found a page dedicated to fatalis. He was immediately met with a drawn picture of a tall reptilian monster with a slender body and large wings. It stood on its hind legs, allowing its horned head to raise high above the ground. The image was familiar and filled him with dread, though there were stark differences between this monster and the one that destroyed his village- the first being its coloration, as this monster's scaly hide wasn't nearly as dark as the one he had seen in person. Also, its horns were more or less even, while the one he had seen had one horn that was considerably larger than the others. Regardless, he skimmed down the page until he found a small section dedicated to the crimson fatalis.

The page's information was scant as it was, outright admitting in the beginning that little was known about these monsters, though the crimson fatalis' section was even more barren. All it really said was that these fatalis were found in the cores of volcanos and had scales which were such a deep red that they appeared black. It made mention that they drew their strength from the volcano itself and were even more aggressive than their counterparts.

Riaku grimaced at the thought of a monster with the power of lava, his face paling a bit as he brought a hand to his forehead. However, his curiosity at the last line pushed his fear aside for the moment.

"Hey, Kira," He began in a low voice, "It says here that crimson fatalis evolved to be red after spending generations living in volcanos… But you said that the one who attacked my village was an Origin, right?"

She nodded. "That's correct. What of it?"

"How can it come from evolution and still be an Origin?" He thought aloud, "I mean, didn't you say that the Great Force created one of each Origin?"

She hummed before closing her book and setting it aside. "The easy answer to that question is that the humans got it wrong in this case. It's true that some monsters based on Origins have evolved to form subspecies… These are usually the product of genetic mutations that allowed them some sort of advantage, such as tigrex with far too many claws or diablos with extra horns. However, some subspecies- if you can even call them that in this case- were designed from the onset. Crimson fatalis is one of these examples."

"Huh," Riaku leaned in a bit, "So, do you or Tyra have subspecies that are also Origins?"

Kira nodded. "Yes, the tigrex species has many Origin subspecies."

"What about the kirin species?"

Her red eyes grew stern. "Yes, even _I_ have an Origin counterpart."

Now his interest was _really_ piqued. After all, he had never even heard of kirin before meeting Kira- let alone some rarer version of them.

"Really? What are they like?"

Kira leaned back, closing her eyes and letting out a long exhale through her nose. "They are known to the humans as oroshi kirin, and have impeccable control over ice in place of lightning. Unlike electric kirin, however, they aren't reserved in the slightest. They are violent and territorial."

Her eyes cracked open, unamused to the point of seeming aggravated. "My Origin counterpart is no different. She's a danger to anything around her."

"Wow," Riaku breathed as he finally sat back again, "She sounds really strong... Do you think we could ever get her on our side?"

Kira chuffed sarcastically. "I highly doubt it. She'd sooner kill you than look at you."

His eyebrows furrowed. "Don't tell me she's in the Council?"

Kira's lips curled upward a bit as her eyes lightened. "Far from it, Riaku. She's hated and feared by them. Long ago, when the Ancient Council was first formed, they sent a few members to recruit her… None of them returned."

His eyes widened. "You're kidding."

"Not at all."

"Wow…" He breathed, "Is she-"

"-Riaku." Kira cut him off in a low voice, "Perhaps it would be wise to return to your studying. We're hunting a khezu on the next C-day, so take this time to learn more about your target."

He frowned and returned to his book with a grumble. After a while of silent reading from both of them, Kira finished with her book and pushed it aside before rifling through one of her shopping bags. Within moments she had a different book set on the table before her and was dipping a quill pen into a small basin of ink.

At the sounds of scribbling, Riaku's attention was drawn back to his mate. He watched her write in a dark leather-bound book for a long moment before speaking up.

"Hey, are you sure you should be writing in that? Won't the Elder get upset?"

"It's not her book," Kira answered simply as she continued to write, "It's mine. Don't you remember when I bought it?"

He paused and vaguely remembered seeing her bargain for a blank journal at one of their stops. "Oh, yeah. So what, is it like a diary or something?"

She chuckled. "Hardly. It's for my notes."

"Notes? On what?"

"On _you_."

He sat in surprised silence for a moment, his eyes flickering between her stoic expression and the pen that danced in her hand. "Me? Why?"

She hummed thoughtfully. "You're the first Origin-human hybrid to exist, and should we be successful against the council, these notes will prove to be an invaluable account of your abilities and history."

He scratched his head. "So… Can I see what you're saying about me?"

"Absolutely not."

His excitement dissolved into anger as he sat back with a huff. "Why not?"

"Because it's a work in progress," She explained as she paused to inspect the page, "And I'll not have it influenced by its subject."

He growled in annoyance and crossed his arms, though couldn't help but wince at doing so. As he rubbed his deltoids with a low hiss, Kira cocked an eyebrow at him.

"How are your muscles doing today? Any better?"

"Hardly," He admitted, "I can get around alright, but almost everything I do hurts."

She hummed again. "Perhaps we should slow down your training… I'm sure Tyra would disagree with that sentiment, but as your mate it doesn't please me to see you in pain. It's not as if the Council is aware of our progress, either, so it could be that our haste is reckless."

To her surprise, he shook his head. "No… I want to keep going, just like we are."

She leaned back, her own eyebrows furrowing as she eyed him. "You say that even while you're in this state? I know that you're insistent on growing quickly, but even then, you've been pushing yourself too hard."

He shook his head again. "No, I need to work _harder_. This still isn't enough, but it's the best I can do right now."

"Why isn't it enough? What's pushing you to work so hard?"

He averted his eyes while raising a hand to rub the back of his neck sheepishly. "It's… Well, it's _you_."

Her eyes widened a bit. "Me..? What do you mean by that?"

He leaned back in his seat, still avoiding her eyes as he explained himself. "Well… I promised that I was going to do whatever it took to become a worthy mate for you. You're so amazing in every way while I'm just… Plain. When you made those patches for my armor I realized how serious you are about me, and I want to prove that I'm serious about you too."

He sighed before finally meeting her gaze, a small smile playing at the edges of his lips. "You have _so_ much faith in me. When nobody else thought that I could amount to much, you showed up- and I've been getting so much better since you've started to train me. If I were to put it in your terms, I guess I'd say that you're the best mate I could ever ask for… And I want to show that I'm as serious about you as you are about me. _That's_ why I'm working so hard."

A moment passed in which Kira continued to eye him, the candlelight exposing the pink in her cheeks. Then she lowered her face, closing her eyes with a hum as a smile tugged at the corners of her own mouth. Riaku worried for a moment that she wouldn't give any other response to what he had said, though felt that concern melt away when she nodded to herself and stood before crossing to his side of the table.

It was only when she sat beside him that he opened his mouth to question her, though he couldn't say anything before her lips locked with his own. One of her hands met his cheek, her fingertips ghosting through his hair, while the other found rest on his chest. Riaku was only surprised for a moment before closing his eyes and kissing back, raising one of his hands to her cheek as well. He was still getting the hang of the whole kissing thing, though tried his best to match the rhythm of her lips as they closed around his own before parting with a soft smack and subsequently reconnecting.

After a few cycles of this, he felt something wet rub along his bottom lip- something that was even softer and warmer than her own lips. He felt his already flushed face heat up even further as he parted his mouth a bit, allowing her tongue to enter. He feared that his movements would be clumsy compared to hers, but before long found a comfortable pace at which their tongues wrestled and stroked one another.

The warmth of her breath and feeling of her fingers running through his hair made his head swim with want. Slowly, carefully, he traced his free hand up her abdomen until it reached the curve of her breasts. He paused there for a moment, unsure whether it was alright to proceed, though her answer came in the form of a chuckle and reassuring hand over his own. The speed with which she pulled his palm to its destination let him know that she was not only okay with his touch, but was openly encouraging it.

Her coat was thick, though he could feel the give of the intimate area beneath it. He kneaded at the softness as best he could given the resistance, and was rewarded with a small moan. That was when Kira draped one of her legs over his lap, pressing against him and redoubling her barrage against his mouth.

Riaku, for his part, wanted more of her. He wanted to feel the warmth of her skin, to taste her breath, to push their relationship to the next level. Of course he knew that Gaia was in the next room and feared that there would be a repeat of the bath incident, though the lightheadedness and lust that accompanied the moment did a good job of stifling his inhibitions. He released his hold on her breast with a soft parting rub before guiding his hand toward the collar of her coat. The other hand had by this point migrated from her cheek to support her back. Once again he hesitated when his fingertips met the bare skin of her neck, barely hooking into the border of her clothes before waiting for a sign of consent. Luckily, he didn't have to wait for long.

"Do it, Riaku," Kira purred after pulling back from the kiss, her lidded eyes and shallow breaths betraying her own arousal. "Don't keep me waiting…"

He swallowed hard before replying in a low voice. "What about my studying?"

She smirked before she leaned in, passing his face to instead trace her tongue along the rim of his ear. The sensation sent his body stiff, and when she let out a warm exhale of breath, his back arched reflexively.

"Study _me_." She whispered before giving the area a gentle nip.

That was all the encouragement that Riaku needed. In an instant the two were on the floor, Kira looking up at him from where she lay on her back, smiling in a way between demure and mischievous. He swallowed again before returning his grasp to part the folds of her coat. He knew that her bare breasts were waiting for him, as she hadn't worn underwear that day at the bath and hadn't bought any since- at least, not to his knowledge. In another circumstance he might have wondered why that was, though in that moment, it was one less inconvenience to get through.

She had said not to keep her waiting, and so he got straight to work- however, he couldn't help himself from teasing her by opening her coat much more slowly than necessary. He smirked at the way she writhed impatiently beneath him, his enjoyment of this rare reaction worth more than his own impatience. Eventually, though, he couldn't bring himself to wait anymore, and opened the front of her armor.

As he had thought, what awaited him was bare skin- milky white but cast in soft shades of orange from the candlelight. Her breasts, not exceptionally small nor large but perfectly proportional to her body, heaved as she stretched out under him. For a long moment he took the sight in; the messy white hair under her head, the lidded red eyes that gazed at his face, the barely visible contours of her ribs, the inward curve of her waist above her hips, the nearly flat belly of flawless milky skin… Though the part that drew most of his attention were her soft pink nipples, their areolae puffy and tips perky with arousal.

"It's reassuring to see my mate gawk at my body…" She purred, reciting something she had said in the bath, "Though I'd prefer more initiative… Perhaps you could put some of that kissing training to good use?"

He gulped and nodded before leaning toward her chest. She closed her eyes and let her head lull back, a smirk still tugging at her lips. As he approached, he let his hands run up the soft warmth of her skin from her hips, savoring every inch of her naked body along their way. As he approached her right breast, his heart hammered in his chest. It was the moment that all men dreamed of- the first act of sexual intimacy between them and their significant other. He wanted to make it count, to please her from the onset and enjoy every second along the way. His hot breath finally brushed against her sensitive bud, causing her to squirm a bit beneath him in anticipation- this was it, the moment that their relationship would be elevated to a new level…

… Or, at least it _would_ be, had the front door not swung open with a crash.

Riaku immediately sprung to his feet, Kira doing the same at nearly the same speed while quickly covering her chest with the coat. There was a long moment of suspense before the person in question hiccupped and stumbled into the candlelight.

"Ah, shit… I'm gonna feel this tomorrow…" Tyra slurred as she rubbed her forehead.

"T-Tyra?" Riaku asked as he and Kira exchanged looks, the white-haired girl fastening her coat properly while he talked. "Where have you been?"

The bluenette leaned against the wall with a chuckle, her head lulling forward while she closed the door behind her with a kick. "I've been at the bar, dumb-ass. I already told you that, didn't I?"

"Oh, right…" He rubbed the back of his head before his nose crinkled. "Jeez, how much did you drink?"

She barked with laughter before jabbing a thumb over her shoulder. "The men out here try so hard to impress girls. They said they'd arm wrestle me, and if I won, they'd buy me a drink."

"Uh-huh…" He replied slowly, "And, uh… If you lost?"

"I'd haveta go on a date with 'em!" She paused to chuckle some more, "Tell ya what, kid, I get why you're so weak now. I was bloodying knuckles left and right, even after I was buzzed. One after one they lined up, thinkin' they were tougher than the last guy. You humans are so wimpy, and you don't even know it."

Riaku would have taken offence to that, had she not stumbled forward again- only barely catching her balance with enough time to land against the wall rather than the floor.

She hooted and hiccupped again before continuing. "Y'know, maybe it's a good thing that I didn't destroy this place all those years ago. If I can say one good thing about Pokke, it's that you make one hell of a drink here!"

Riaku shot a glance at Kira while she sighed in exasperation. "Well, she's not getting to her bed without my help… At least not without breaking everything in this kitchen. I'll take care of her while you clean up the table, alright Riaku?"

His expression immediately morphed into disappointment. "But what we were doing a minute ago… Does this mean that-"

"-Unfortunately, yes." She gave him a sympathetic smile, "It's late and you have training in the morning. We should call it a night."

"Oh… Right…" He lowered his eyes while rubbing his arm.

Kira eyed him carefully for a moment before stepping close and planting a kiss on his cheek. When he turned an inquisitive look on her, her eyes lidded once more.

"That just means that we'll have to do it again sometime." Her eyes narrowed above a faint smile. "Sometime _soon_."

That idea picked his spirits up a bit. With that as a goodnight, Kira guided a babbling Tyra to her room while Riaku straightened the books and put out the candles. He shot one last look of longing at Kira's door before sighing and making his way to bed for the night as well.

* * *

**C-day**

The khezu's shrill scream echoed off the cave walls around them, rattling the stalactites overhead. They were currently locked in combat in the depths of a cavern, and had it not been for the reflection of lightcrystals off the icy walls, the trio may not have even been able to see the monster through the dim conditions- which might have actually been preferable in this scenario.

"This thing looks even crazier than in the books," Riaku observed as the khezu sniffed the air feverishly before turning toward him. It took a few short steps before lunging in his direction, extending its rubbery neck to blindly bite at its target- though Riaku rolled out of the way without issue before rushing into a lunge of his own, the sword in his hand held ready to strike.

"It's certainly an _interesting_ appearance for a monster to have." Kira agreed while she watched on idly.

Tyra barked with laughter. "Look familiar, Riaku? I bet you see a khezu every time you go for a piss, eh?"

Riaku snorted as he ducked under a swing of pale flesh. Kira, however, seemed less than amused at the crass comparison.

Tyra hadn't been far off the mark, though. The khezu was an eyeless wyvern covered in a rubbery white skin. In a way it resembled a worm, as its long neck and tail could expand and contract to allow either of its fanged mouths extended attacking range. These appendages aside, its body was relatively stout and chubby, with webbed feet adapted to climbing cave walls and stubby wings that allowed it to fly for short distances. The mouth on its head was larger than the other, containing a row of sharp teeth, while the one on the end of its tail was designed to cling to surfaces for support while it launched electric attacks.

Riaku's sword slashed through its springy skin and into thick blubber, causing the monster to flinch with a throaty groan. It didn't take long for the khezu to recover though, and within a moment a pair of chomping teeth were veering toward the young hunter. Riaku threw his forearm across his chest, allowing the shield affixed to his coat's arm to deflect the bite with a crash and series of scrapes. He silently thanked Ivan for the upgrade before pulling his arm back and bashing forward with all his strength. The hit sent the khezu reeling, the strange creature shaking its head before retracting its neck back toward its body.

That was when the wyvern jumped backward a considerable distance and planted the end of its tail against the ground. Riaku's jaw clenched- after doing a bit of research on the khezu under Kira's guidance, he knew that a stance like that only meant one thing: it was preparing to launch electricity at him.

In any other situation he would have tried rolling to the side or blocking the hit, though khezu were a bit unique in how they handled lightning attacks. After charging the electricity within them for a moment, they would shoot multiple large spheres of crackling energy forward from their mouths. These spheres didn't travel through the air, though; rather, they traced along the ground with speed that was as impressive as their power.

The two girls fell silent as Riaku began sprinting at the khezu. True to what he had read, it was only a moment before the monster threw its head forward, launching a volley of sparking balls at its target. They careened toward him quickly, though not at a speed that was impossible to handle. Riaku's run lowered into a duck before he leaped upward with all of his strength, pulling his legs- which were screaming with soreness triggered by the action- tightly to his body. As a result, the attack sped under him before exploding into static against the cave's wall.

Riaku rolled into his landing, grimacing with pain, before charging at the khezu with everything he had. The sounds of meat slapping against metal, grunts, and shrill roaring reverberated through the cavern as Riaku faced the beast in close combat.

Tyra whistled. "Did you see that? The scrub actually jumped over an attack!"

Kira hummed without taking her eyes off the battle. "Yes, though it still wasn't high enough to be fitting of the aerial style. No matter, it would seem he's making progress."

"Either that or he was scared shitless of getting hit by that lightning," Tyra barked with laughter, "Who says a little fear is a bad thing?"

Kira's eyes narrowed as she watched Riaku fight. He had grown a lot, especially now that Tyra had become involved in his training. Before they met he was unconfident and overly reliant on his shield- though now he attacked with the sort of zeal that much more experienced hunters benefited from. He adeptly dodged around the beast as it turned, which was struggling to hit him with its tail or long neck, before converting the energy into an offensive move. As the minutes passed, the khezu's previously white skin had been bruised and scarred shades of purple and pink, with stains and smears of blood interspersed.

There was pain in Riaku's expression with each slash, bash, and dodge, though it was considerably less than he had shown during the last C-day's hunt. Given that he was fresh off his second round of workouts, that fact was made all the more interesting. A normal human would hardly be able to handle the strain that training like that induced, though Riaku was bouncing back with incredible speed.

Her eyes shifted to Tyra, who watched him fight with an entertained grin. Was his resilience the product of his Origin DNA, or was it thanks to force's effects on his muscles that he was able to recover so quickly? Maybe a combination of both? She sighed as she turned her gaze back to Riaku- there was too little known about either to say for sure.

Whatever the case, Riaku made short work of the monster from there. After sustaining so many hits and practically staining the cave floor red, the khezu stumbled before crashing to the ground with a long groan. Riaku yanked his sword from the body with a wince before flicking the blood from its blade and sheathing it. From there he caught his breath while fishing a potion from his satchel and downing it in one go.

"Get hit?" Tyra asked as she and Kira crossed to him from where they had been watching on a nearby ledge.

He nodded before his lips popped off the emptied bottle. "Its tail wacked me around a bit and my shield arm took a beating from the shock of deflecting its attacks… As nice as the brace is, it puts a lot of strain on me."

Tyra sneered, presumably at his weakness, while Kira raised a finger to her cheek thoughtfully. "Perhaps you should combine blocking classically with blocking using the brace. That could prolong your stamina in battle."

He nodded again and stashed the bottle away. "I think that's a good idea. For now, though, let's go tell Ivan that this thing is dead."

It wasn't a terribly long trek back into Pokke, and from there they immediately went to Ivan's shop. Borrowing his friend's cart, which seemed just barely big enough to handle the wyvern's weight, the trio led him back to the cavern and loaded the monster up- a feat that would have been virtually impossible, had Tyra not contributed her incredible strength to the cause. When all was said and done, Riaku let the armorer keep the khezu materials and made it home with a decent sack of zenny.

The three shared a meal while telling Gaia about the day's events- Riaku found her expression particularly amusing when he described the khezu's appearance- and made it most of the way through dinner before something incredible happened.

"You did good out there today, runt!" Tyra had proclaimed with a grin, having just downed a bottle of God-knows-what from the tavern. "You didn't even need our help to kill that worm! Maybe we need to work out a bit harder next week, eh?"

She belted out a laugh while Riaku rubbed the back of his neck with a weak chuckle. His eyes shot to Gaia, who was deep in conversation with Kira from the other end of the table, before they returned to the bluenette who was tearing into a seared steak with little restraint.

"You can say that, but things probably would have gone differently today without your help in other ways…" He averted his eyes with a sheepish smile, hoping that she could understand him through his vague speech. "Thanks for that. I really don't think I could have done it without you."

Tyra paused in her meal to give him a long look. After a moment she grabbed something from her plate and put it on his own. He cocked an eyebrow at it before shooting an amazed look back at her- what she had given him was an anteka heart, her favorite cut of meat.

"You're really giving me this?" He asked in mild disbelief, "But you love these, don't you?"

"Ah, it's nothin'." She stood from the table with a grunt and cast an ambiguous look down at him. "You really _did_ do good out there, and you'll need your strength for tomorrow's training, so… You know, eat up."

With that she made her way toward the cellar, her face a bit more red than usual- though Riaku assumed that it was due to the alcohol. Kira, however, came to a different conclusion as she carefully watched Tyra leave the room while Gaia continued to talk to her.

* * *

**A-day**

Riaku ran with even breaths, his hands gripping the ropes that were slung over his shoulders. "How many more laps?"

Tyra grunted from behind him. "I'd say two, then we'll move on."

His eyes shifted to the lake that he was running around. The early morning sun cast the water in vibrant pinks and blues, and even as a crisp breeze fanned across it to sting at his bare chest, he welcomed the distraction from his current workout.

It had been a few weeks since he had started training under Tyra's rigorous workout schedule, and as such, the routines have evolved to continue providing his body a challenge. One of these changes was in his morning laps- whereas before he ran independently, now he was expected to pull a four-wheeled cart with one of his trainers in it. If he was _really_ lucky, then some days he would tote both of them at once.

Today happened to be one of those days.

"So… I've been meaning to… Ask you guys something…" He began between breaths, "It's about… Crimson Fatalis."

"Hm? What about him?" Tyra asked, her aquamarine eyes shifting from Riaku's bare back to the lake.

"Have either of you… Met him?"

Tyra let out a long exhale as she stretched out in the cart, her hands finding rest behind her head while her eyes rose with thought. "Yeah, I met him. Only in passing, though."

Riaku was quiet for a moment. "What was he like?"

She hummed. "Well, he's an ugly son of a bitch, that's for sure. And he gives me the creeps like you wouldn't believe."

Riaku coughed twice. "What else?"

She scratched her head. "That's really all I've got for ya. The egghead might know more, though… After all, she was more involved with the Council than I was."

Kira's red eyes rose from over her book to idly watch Riaku run in front of the cart. "I told you that Crimson Fatalis destroyed your village the first day that we formally met. Why are you asking for more information about him _now_?"

"I… Don't know," He admitted, "I've just been… Wondering about him lately."

She, too, hummed before her eyes returned to her reading. "His participation within the Council was… Unique. He didn't participate in votes or meetings, and his only purpose seemed to be to destroy whatever the Council needed to be done away with. With that said, I don't know much… Only that he's a brute with incredible elemental power, even by Origin standards."

Riaku's eyebrows furrowed. "That sounds tough to deal with."

He had said that in the hopes that one of them would speak up about some chink in the thing's armor, though they remained eerily quiet in the wake of his observation. Their silence implied that there really _wasn't_ an easy way to defeat him- a thought that opened a pit of dread in his stomach. After all, he was certainly bound to fight it at some point during his fight with the Council, and even if not, he couldn't possibly let it off the hook for what it did to his village.

Saying that was one thing, though, and doing anything about it was another. After all, if these monsters really _did_ have an element as powerful as lava itself, then he was at a severe disadvantage.

He remained in his thoughts until he was given the okay to stop running. As he downed a canteen to refresh himself, Tyra and Kira hopped from the cart, the latter immediately turning toward Pokke.

"Goin' home, pony girl?" Tyra asked with a sideways glance.

Kira paused to nod at the two of them. "I'd like to get some writing done over a cup of tea. Please be safe while I'm away."

Tyra barked with laughter. "I'd like to see anything try to mess with us! Might actually make life around here interesting for once."

Riaku chuckled sheepishly. "What she means to say is that you have nothing to worry about."

Kira nodded before turning and making her way back to the settlement. "Very well. I trust that you'll make it a productive day."

The two waited until she had gone before Tyra turned to him with a toothy grin. "Alright, scrub, we're doing push-ups next! Hit the floor!"

Riaku quickly downed the remainder of his canteen before dropping into the proper stance- the first of many variations to come, no doubt. However, he didn't dare move until Tyra crossed over to him. She looked down at him, her teeth still flashing in the sunlight, before she turned around and took a seat on his back.

"Alright, get started." She commanded once she had made herself comfortable in a cross-legged position.

Riaku nodded with a grunt before beginning the process of lowering his chest to the ground before hoisting himself back up. This is how it had been lately; ever since Kira had grown to trust Tyra's motives, she had left the two alone to train more and more frequently. By this point the two could spend entire days alone together- as it seemed would be the case for today, as well.

Riaku had made it through a few dozen reps, only quietly grunting in response to each push, when Tyra suddenly hummed.

"Alright, looks like your body's used to this one too," She paused to chuckle, "In other words, either _I_ need to gain weight, or _you_ need to increase your field of motion."

He turned to smirk at her from over his shoulder. "Something tells me we're going with the second option."

"Damn straight," She replied as she hopped from his back and began scanning the field with her eyes, "My body is dynamite, ya know? Be a shame to waste it on someone like you. So, here's what we're gonna do: you're going to plank there for as long as it takes for me to gather our new training assistant."

He groaned. "I thought you might actually give me a break for a few minutes."

She chuffed sarcastically as she began walking away. "Keep dreaming, buddy. Get plankin'."

He did as he was instructed until she returned with a few semi-flat rocks. He watched in mild interest as she stacked them a foot or so high, then turned to him while clapping her hands free of dirt.

"Alright, we're gonna go back to push-ups, but this time your feet are gonna be elevated. This way you're lowering and raising yourself even further than you were before. Get to it."

As with Kira, Riaku knew better than to dispute anything Tyra said. He had only met two Origins so far, though a common theme was already revealing itself; they _always_ knew best, for better or worse, and anyone who challenged them was somehow deserving of punishment. Given that Tyra would be deciding his training load for the day, he dared not question her.

Once more, he got into position- this time with his feet elevated- and Tyra returned to sitting on his back. "Alright, get going. The sooner we get through with this, the sooner we can grab some lunch."

He nodded and began doing as he was told. Tyra was quiet for a while, though Riaku had learned something from working with her; whenever they were left alone, conversation was inevitable. He had discovered it the first day that Kira let them train alone together. For the first couple of weeks that they knew each other, their talk was nearly all training-related, food-related, or filled with crass humor on Tyra's part, assumedly to get on Kira's nerves… And while these topics still remained at the core of their interaction, Tyra had proven to be a surprisingly talkative person- erm, _monster_ \- when in the right company.

As it turned out, Riaku was the sort of company needed to bring this side out of her, and he was happy with that fact. After all, Origins were still super interesting to him, and having someone to talk to tended to make training go by quicker.

"So, you're thinking about your village again, eh?" She spoke up after a few minutes had passed, "Have that dream again?"

He grunted with exertion, already feeling the difference that elevation made on his set. "Yeah…"

She hummed, her eyes tracing a few birds who were flittering by. "I'll tell ya something, kid… Crimson Fatalis is no joke. He has a reputation that's as nasty as his face. You're gonna have to put in serious work to get on his level."

"I know, but there's something else," He strained to raise himself once more, "He's supposed to have crazy fire abilities, right?"

"Yep," She answered casually, "Some of the strongest, from what I've heard."

He sighed as he shakily lowered his chest to grass-level once more. "I was worried about that…"

She fell quiet for a moment before speaking up again. "Y'know, runt, I don't really get having a phobia… But I'll tell you what; you stick to your training, work hard, rack up experience, and I think you'll be alright. After all, it's like I said: if nothing else, you're a resilient bastard."

He chuckled through his strain, though his arms buckled beneath him. "Thanks…"

She sighed in exasperation at feeling him struggle under her. "Really? I compliment you and you go weak on me? Put those noodle-arms to work, boy! I'm not even that heavy!"

"That's not what this is about," He insisted through grit teeth.

She crossed her arms. "Aren't men supposed to be driven by lust or something? You've got a hot girl's ass pressing against your back and you can't even finish your set? What kind of man are you?"

He grunted and began lowering again. "I might need a bit of force, here…"

"Ah, no you don't! Just twenty more and you'll finish your set- come on, scrub, I'll even count you down!"

And count him down, she did- with a swift smack to his rear with each successful pushup. That was the other thing about their training lately- it seemed that with every passing day she got more physically involved in his routine. Be it having him pull her in a cart, sitting on his back, or even working out beside him in rare instances, it seemed that Tyra wasn't afraid of mutual inclusion if it meant improvement. That, paired with the fact that she had recently taken to splitting the best cuts of meat with Riaku rather than hoarding them all to herself, let him know that she didn't _dislike_ him, despite her rough language and name-calling implying otherwise.

Finally, he finished the last of the set and collapsed into the grass with deep breaths. He knew that this reprieve from his workout was only momentary, though, as Tyra wasn't the type to allow unnecessary breaks. As if she had read his mind in that moment, she barked with laughter.

"Not bad, kid. We expanded your field of movement and you still finished your set without force… Now, let's get you a little pick-me-up and move on to the next form!"

With that she began to grind her butt against his back playfully, and strength immediately returned to his tired arms. This was another one of her recent quirks- finding new ways to give Riaku force, be the exchange demeaning, rough, or teasing in nature.

"Tyra, could you maybe… _Not_ do that?" He asked, unsure whether the heat in his face was from embarrassment or adolescent arousal.

She chuffed before grinding even more fiercely, now rubbing her rear in circles against his back. "What, you don't like it or something? You know, just about every man at the bar would _love_ to be in your shoes right now. Be grateful!"

It seemed that the quickest way to get her to stop would be to comply, so he decided to copy something that Kira often said in situations like this.

"Eternally so…"

The bluenette laughed and ruffled his hair. "That's the spirit! Alright, now on to triangles- and don't slouch this time! Keep your back straight or I'll make you start over, got it?"

He sighed before rising back into the proper position. "Yes, ma'am…"

* * *

**C-day**

The hit sent Riaku flipping through the air, chunks of dislodged ice and snow raining down around him. His gut instinct was to clench at his abdomen, where a sharp pain was flaring in wake of the attack, though he forced himself to focus more on his landing. Putting his training to use, he straightened out and loosened his body in anticipation of hitting the ground, waiting until his knees buckled into the snow to leap forward, narrowly dodging a large rock that was thrown in his direction.

"Riaku!" Kira called as she jumped aside a clawed slash, "Are you alright?"

Riaku grimaced as one hand shot to his left ribcage while the other fished through his satchel for a potion. He downed the potion while watching his opponent's movements carefully for any sign that it would come for him again- though at the moment it seemed more interested in Tyra and her giant sword, which was being swung haphazardly at the giant ice baboon.

"Y-Yeah," He called across the snow at feeling the pain in his chest dissolve, "It just caught me by surprise."

There was a metallic clang as its large fist pounded against the brunt of Tyra's great sword, pushing her back incrementally- though her grin only broadened in response. "Finally, an interesting fight! This guy's all sorts of riled up for this!"

Riaku couldn't disagree. From where he was catching his breath, he could see that the blangonga was taking no prisoners. Maybe it was upset that its troop had been reduced to scattered corpses by the trio- whatever the case, the speed at which the monkey spun, clawed, lunged, leaped, and threw chunks of ice was incredible.

Riaku took one last breath before nodding to himself and charging back into battle, hooking his shield back onto the brace on his arm to free up his left hand. As he approached, he looked the monster over in search of an opening for attack.

Blangonga were the alpha male of a blango pack- the species of ice monkey that had given Riaku so much trouble in the early days of his training. Just like their underlings, blangonga were aggressive, mischievous, quick, and impressively powerful. The difference between them lied in their size, as blangonga were multiple times the bulk of regular blango; which meant, of course, that they had larger claws, teeth, and limbs with which to fight. They were covered nearly head to tail in shabby white fur, though their wicked claws were the same shade of black as their underlying skin. They sported colorful faces with red cheekbones and a blue dome atop their head. Large tan whiskers sprouted from either side of their mouths, which were equipped with giant canines that put Riaku's sword to shame.

At the young hunter's approach, the baboon turned toward Riaku with a low growl and began sprinting on all fours in his direction. Kira and Tyra were on its heels, swords in hand, though it was hard to keep up with the blangonga's feverish pace. As the two approached one another, the monster hunched down before springing forward with its fists outstretched- it was trying to tackle Riaku, and its reasoning for doing so was no mystery. Once it had him pinned, there was no end to the ways it could finish him off.

Luckily, Riaku had read all about these monkeys before the hunt, and had a strategy for the situation. He, too, hunched down before springing forward, summersaulting through the air at a height and speed that would have been impossible if not for his countless weeks of training.

His target dove into the snow beneath him with a force that surely would have finished him off had he not been prepared. That fact was only mildly off-putting, though, as Riaku was completely focused on his next move. Still flipping through the air, he extended his legs just as he passed over the beast's skull dome. The moment that his feet made contact its back, he pivoted and fell into a grapple.

It had all gone according to plan, though he wasn't out of the woods yet. At feeling the hunter cling to its shoulders, the blangonga let out an ear-splitting roar before standing on its hind legs and violently shaking in an attempt to fling Riaku off. When that proved unsuccessful, the monkey decided to leap forward and drive its back through the snow, though Riaku read the moments just in time to climb onto the monster's stomach, from which a barrage of claws swiped blindly at him, their sharp tips grazing his coat and casting sparks from the metal of his sword and shield.

His teeth clinched as he focused on holding on, though his stamina was quickly waning. This monster seemed to have endless reserves of energy while Riaku was nearly on his last leg- though he refused to give up that easily. If he could just reach its back again, he could sever its brainstem as he had with the bulldrome… Or alternatively, he could slice its throat open should an opportunity to do so present itself.

He was so lost in thought over what to do that he failed to notice that the blangonga had begun to dig through the snow with its front claws. It was only when Kira and Tyra called after him that he realized what was happening and jumped out of harms way. No sooner had he rolled into his landing, the monkey began to tunnel underground- an act that looked as cartoonish as it sounds. Regardless, this was no laughing matter; after all, one of the blangonga's most powerful attacks was launched from underground. The trio of hunters exchanged glances before nodding and running toward one another. Once there they each turned to face a different portion of the clearing, listening closely for any sign of the beast.

A long moment stretched on while Riaku gripped the handle of his sword with white knuckles. The area was eerily silent and still in the wake of the chaotic battle, but they weren't fooled. They knew either from experience or from studying that the blangonga was very much still in the fight, and posed a greater threat now than it had a moment ago.

Kira and Tyra were the first to sense it, their heads snapping downward toward the ghost of a tremor that had rattled beneath them. At seeing their reactions, Riaku also knew what was coming. In unison the three rolled forward in their respective directions, just as the ground they were previously standing on erupted. Chunks of earth and shards of ice flew in every direction as the blangonga shot up into the air, its fists extended upward in the hopes of launching its prey.

"Now!" Kira called, charging toward the beast before it had even begun its descent.

"Give 'em Hell!" Tyra agreed as she, too, ran toward the monkey's shadow with her sword at the ready.

"Right!" Riaku dashed forward as well, timing his lunging slash with the rate at which the blangonga fell.

The attack, while hastily coordinated, served its purpose. As soon as the beast had landed in the snow, three blades lashed out at it with little restraint. Riaku had jumped forward to deliver a downward slash against its shoulder before pivoting and swinging his sword into the monster's soft throat. Tyra had gone with a downward slash as well, the strength of her blow wedging the sword into its ribs. Kira had gone for a more precise strike, thrusting her long sword forward with the momentum of her run. The result was a clean entry as the blade carved through its pelt and into its organs.

It was hard to tell which of these attacks finished the monster off, though the goal was achieved regardless. The giant monkey crashed into the snow with a flurry of muscle spasms and blind slashes before it fell still with a throaty rattle.

Riaku flicked the blood from his blade, as did Kira, while Tyra lugged her sword from its side and sheathed it with little concern.

"Man, that was fun!" She beamed as she nudged its side with her foot, "I can't wait to see which part of this guy tastes the best!"

"You might have to wait a day or so to find out," Kira thought aloud as she looked the body over, "As per the contract, the Guild will be in charge of divvying up the spoils."

"Bullshit." Tyra's gaze shifted to Riaku. "Hey punk, throw me your hunter's knife real quick."

He complied, and she immediately got to work carving into the blangonga's abdomen, releasing warm steam into the air from the laceration. "I never got to try blangonga before… They were always too wary of me, and even if I could get close to one, they'd take off faster than I could follow. I almost had one this one time, but right as I went for the kill, a bunch of bratty blango started throwing snow in my eyes. Worthless pieces of crap…"

Kira eyed Tyra with obvious disdain while Riaku nervously watched her work. "Hey, are you sure you should be doing that? If the Guild finds out that you took materials without them, they might not be too happy with us."

"What? Scared of getting in trouble?" She teased before laughing, "Relax, I'm only taking a few bits and pieces. They'll never even know."

When she had finished retrieving what she wanted, which turned out being three steak-sized cuts from different parts of the body, Riaku spoke up again. "That's cool and all, but where are you going to store it while we- we… Um…"

He trailed off as Tyra bit into one of the cuts, ripping a piece off and swallowing it without hardly chewing. She grinned at his amazed expression before going for the next bite.

"In my stomach, that's where." She stated before nodding toward Pokke, "Now let's get going."

Despite the palpable astonishment at her ferocity, there were no objections to returning to Pokke quickly. Riaku carved a whisker from the blangonga as proof of the kill before the trio made their way back to town. Once they arrived at the guild, Riaku was asked whether he would like to receive raw materials from the hunt or zenny instead- and despite some contention in his head over whether he could use blangonga fur, he went with the latter option. That had been the case with every C-day hunt they had gone on so far; from bulldrome and giadrome to khezu and lagombi, he had yet to kill a monster whose hide intrigued him enough to keep. Maybe it was because of the high standard that Kira had set with the tigrex shoulder guards, but he couldn't bring himself to settle for materials that were less impressive than what he already had.

Not that the money was bad, either, and in typical C-day fashion, Tyra took her cut of the profit to the nearest bar while Riaku and Kira spent the night studying and chatting with Gaia.

* * *

Riaku walked alone down unfamiliar streets, battered and destroyed houses all around him. A thick purple smog clung to the ground while white fog obscured distant objects from his vision. The road beneath him squelched and splashed, while the muggy air plastered his clothes to his skin. He squinted as he walked, looking desperately for… _Something_. He wasn't sure what it was, exactly, but it was waiting for him here. He could feel it.

He slowed to a stop beside a line of abandoned shops and cut a look to his right. He didn't see anything there, though he couldn't shake the feeling that he was being watched from that direction. His lips tightened as he reached into his coat's pocket and retrieved some zenny from his coin bag. He eyed the money in his hand before raising his eyes back to the shopfront. With a shrug he flipped the coins in that direction- though instead of falling to the muddy ground, they suspended in midair before his very eyes.

He tilted his head, his eyebrows furrowing in confusion as the coins slowly rotated in place. That was when a laugh, light but distorted, came from behind him.

"Do you know how much your life is worth?"

Before he could turn to face the voice, something long and slender wrapped around his torso from behind and yanked him backward at an incredible speed. He cried out in shock as he was pulled from the floating coins, that same laughing echoing around him from all directions…

His blue eyes shot open as his breath hitched in shock. Riaku blinked twice before sitting up in bed, scratching his head as he looked out the window. The sky outside was a familiar shade of purple, which held interesting implications… After all, it was a dream just like this- so vivid but also cryptic- that had led him to Tyra.

His eyes lowered. Maybe it was too soon to make any assumptions. If it was a premonition, as Kira had called it, then he was bound to have it again.

_Until that happens, I'll keep it to myself…_

He yawned and settled back into bed, his sore body needing every last second of rest that it could get.

* * *

**B-day**

"Gotcha. This Rinko kid sounds like a handful."

Riaku grunted in exertion as he forced his body to sit up once again, rising enough so that he could see Tyra's face over the cliff's edge before lowering down again. It was only once his back met rock that he answered her.

"I guess so. I mean, some of the other kids gave me trouble, too, but he was definitely the worst."

"Jeez, how many bullies did you have growing up?"

He thought about her question as he hoisted himself up again, lifting his torso a full one-hundred-eighty degrees before lowering until he was dangling upside-down once more.

"It's hard to say…" He admitted as he paused to take in the view of inverted mountaintops in the distance, "As far as constant bullies go, I guess it was just Rinko and Orman. A lot of my classmates just liked starting rumors or messing with me because of my fear of fire… Pretty petty stuff, I guess. Those two were the only ones to ever get physical."

Tyra chuffed from where she was sitting on his legs while he set up and lowered again. "I'd like to see them try that shit now. I've gotta say, I've done a pretty damn good job of training you."

He sat up once more, wincing at the burn in his abdomen. Of all the core workouts they had done throughout his training, these mountaintop ones were by far the worst. Once he had risen so that he was face-to-face with his trainer, he smiled at her through his panting.

"Thanks again for… You know, helping to train me." He averted his eyes while rubbing the back of his neck, "Looking back now, I guess I really _was_ kinda hopeless when we first met."

"You can say that again," Her eyes lowered to his shirtless body- pecs and abs, biceps and deltoids- all of which had come from or grown thanks to her strict regimen. "I told you I'd make you a _real_ threat… Not that you're there yet, but at least we're making progress."

He chuckled and lowered again. "I wonder how far I've come in these past few months… I mean, I know I've gotten better, but I wish there was a way to compare myself to how I used to be."

Tyra was silent as he did a few more reps before speaking up again. "Y'know, runt, we might be able to do just that."

He rose to meet her gaze again, albeit with a bit more effort after doing so many reps. "What do you mean?"

"Remember that cliff I had you jump up?" She asked, waiting until he nodded before going on. "Well, you couldn't make that jump before, but I'd bet my sweet ass that you could now."

His eyes sparked with excitement. "Really? Can we try it out?"

She hummed, scratching her cheek with a finger before shrugging. "Sure, why not? But let's make things interesting."

"Interesting?"

"Yup," She gave him a toothy grin. "If you can't make the jump, then we're doubling today's reps- but if you _can_ make it, then we'll cut training short today and go on a hunt to celebrate. What do you say?"

The thought of doubling his workout made him think twice, though the prospect of hunting was too enticing to pass up. Not to mention, he had worked hard since the last time he tried that jump- certainly he could make it now… Right?

"Alright, let's do it!" He replied with a grin of his own.

She grunted and held her hand out to hoist him over the edge. Not long after, they both stood at the foot of a familiar cliff.

"Alright, squirt," She began as she put a hand on his shoulder, transferring force into his body. "I'll give you the same amount I did last time. Make it to the slope at the top and we'll go kill something together. Give it your best shot, alright?"

He nodded, so she patted his shoulder before backing up a step. Riaku looked up the rock face and swallowed; it was still as sheer as he remembered, and the memory of his prior failure had him second guessing his abilities. Regardless, he clenched his fists and crouched down, gathering power in his legs. A deep breath later, he jumped up with as much strength as he could muster.

Wind whistled past his ears and his eyes blurred as he shot upward. One moment his vision was trained on the outcrop that marked his destination, though in a blink he no longer saw it. With wide eyes he looked down and was astounded to see the slope shrinking with distance beneath him- not only had he reached the edge, he had overshot it by several meters.

Riaku's victorious laughter morphed into a cry of surprise when he slowed to a stop before beginning to plummet. He kicked his legs futilely as the ground approached at a terrifying rate, though a sudden impact to his side sent him ragdolling into the snow atop the cliff's slope. Once he had slid to a stop, he looked up and blinked twice, only to find Tyra standing there with her hands on her hips and a large grin on her face.

"Well, I'll be damned!" She laughed as she walked over to him and extended a hand to lift him from the ground, "I knew you could reach the top if you really tried, but even _I_ didn't think you'd go that far! Any further and you would've gone into orbit!"

Riaku chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck with one hand while the other accepted her offer. "Thanks for stopping me. I really owe you one."

"No shit," Her eyes shifted from him to the cliff's edge, "Well, now that you have the power, I guess it's time to teach you how to use it. Moderation is key if you want to conserve energy, so I guess I'll have to work some lessons into our workout routine… Probably in the morning, so you're not worn out."

He hummed before bringing a hand to his brow and squinting at the midmorning sun. "Looks like we still have a lot of time left. Want to head back to town to grab a Guild quest?"

She shook her head before flashing a toothy grin. "Nope! You and I are gonna go and look for a good time. First strong monster we see, we'll clobber. Sound good?"

He gave a hard nod, a determined smile on his face. "Let's do it!"

With a bark of laughter from Tyra, the two set off. It seemed a bit slow around the village at first, nothing but popo and anteka- maybe a troop of blango if they were lucky- though eventually they began to spot a few large monsters. Nothing that they hadn't faced before, though, so they kept looking. Time stretched on without yielding a worthy opponent, though their hike wasn't particularly strenuous as they chatted along the way.

"So," Tyra began as they made their way up a rugged mountain pass, "I've been meaning to ask you somethin'."

"Sure," Riaku breathed, only slightly winded from the rocky incline, "Anything."

She chuckled. "Good answer. Hm… How should I put this? You're with the braniac, aren't ya?"

"Kira?" He nodded, "Yeah… We kind of paired up the first day we met."

"So, it was love at first sight?"

"Not really..?" He thought about it for a second. "More like she decided that we were going to be together from the start."

Tyra chuffed. "Figures… But you obviously don't mind it, right? I mean, I see the looks you give each other- and don't think for a second that I forgot about that night on the kitchen floor."

Riaku's face grew hot. "O-Oh, you remember that?"

She gave a gruff laugh. "Kid, I might have been sloshed, but I'm still an Origin. I'm not stupid."

"Sorry…" He gave an awkward chuckle, "You know… If you didn't want to see any of that."

She shot him a sideways grin. "Don't worry your pretty little head about it. So, how far did you go with her?"

He suddenly found the rocks on his side of the path particularly interesting. "We only kissed…"

"Suuuuuure," She sighed, "Look, she was half-naked and you were all over her. You really expect me to believe that you didn't cop a feel?"

"Well… Okay, yeah, I did that…" He admitted, "But nothing else, really!"

She eyed him for another moment before shifting her gaze to the path in front of them. "That aside, why else do you put up with her? You can't only like her because she's got boobs, so what else do you see in her?"

He rubbed the back of his head for a moment while he thought about his answer. "Kira… Believes in me. Almost everything she does it for my benefit, and without her, I couldn't possibly have gotten to where I am today."

"Alright, so she's in your corner," Tyra thought aloud, "I knew that as soon as you said that she made those things on your shoulders. Plenty of girls would rally behind their men, though, so what else does she have?"

"Well, obviously she's really cute," He continued, "And I just feel… Like she's really serious about me. She calls me her mate, and says that my honor is her own. When she says things like that, or when she stands up for me at times when she really doesn't have to, I can tell that she wants us to last forever… And I want that too."

He sighed. "I'm not great at picking apart my feelings. All I know is that she's incredible, and I want to be worthy of her. Whatever it takes to achieve that, I'll do."

Tyra carefully eyed the look on his face while he spoke. He didn't make it that often… But when he did, it always made her heart skip a beat. He would get a spark in his eyes that was nearly defiant in how self-assured it was, and the edges of his lips would raise into a faint smile. Several weeks ago, when they had first met, she was able to discount that expression as childish naivety- though now he had put in the work, trimmed the fat, and proven that he really _would_ do whatever it took to get stronger. It had put her opinion of him in a different light as of late.

"Anyway, that's it, I guess." His sheepish chuckling cut short when he saw Tyra's expression. "Hey, are you alright? You look a bit red."

Her eyes widened before she looked away with a grunt. "You must be seein' things, runt. If anyone's red around here, it's _you_. Do we need to take a breather?"

He shook his head. "Nah, I'm good."

They continued walking in silence for a bit longer before she spoke up again. "So… Is that the kind of girl you like? Someone who's all smart and cutesy?"

She had tried to keep her voice casual, and was relieved when he answered just as though it was. "Honestly? Before I met Kira, I wasn't that into those kinds of girls at all."

A smirk cocked upward from the side of her face opposite him. "Oh yeah? What kind of girls _did_ you like, then?"

He scratched his chin in thought. "Actually, I never really dated before all of this Origin Monster stuff happened… But I guess I would want to end up with someone like- well, maybe it would be weird if I said that…"

"Said what?" She asked with a bit more enthusiasm than she had intended.

"It's just…" He contemplated his answer before sighing. "Someone like Gaia, you know? And before you say anything, no, I don't have a mom complex… I just think that having someone who's strong, caring, and willing to get their hands dirty would be nice. Not that Kira's not strong or caring, it's just… A different kind of strong, I guess. Do you get what I'm saying?"

She could hardly keep the grin from her face. "Yeah. I get what you're saying."

After a brief spell of silence, he spoke up again. "Oh yeah, and what about you? I know that dating is kind of rare in the Origin world, but what kind of man would you like?"

His question was innocent and polite, while hers had been pointed. Whatever the case, she appreciated his inclusivity on the topic.

"More like, dating doesn't happen at all in the Origin world," She began, "I only know of one couple, and they broke things off a long time ago. But if I had to choose a man… Well…"

Her eyes flickered between his face- which was still facing forward as he listened on- and the path in front of her. "I guess… I'd want someone who's got potential. Someone who knows what they want out of life and works toward it every day. Someone like…"

She choked on the words in her throat. In all her life, she had never dealt with this shyness, this… _Weakness_. She was the type to say what she thought and fight the consequences, and yet…

"Someone like… What?" He pressed.

She felt her cheeks warm again before she shook her head. "Forget it. We're almost to the top now, so let's focus on scouting for prey."

He nodded. "Right!"

Sure enough, before long they reached the top of the ridge, and were now faced with a snowy incline to their left and an open field of grass spread out in front of them. They scanned their eyes along the field, though after a long moment Tyra sighed.

"Nothing good here, either."

"Yeah…" He looked back at the sun, which had at this point reached its highest point in the sky, "We can still go back to the Guild for a quest, you know. There's still time."

"Barely," She muttered, "Let's go over one more-"

She cut the thought short as a sound came from nearby- a loud, guttural sound that echoed off the mountain's slopes around them. They exchanged surprised glances as it continued for a couple of seconds before trailing off.

"What… Was _that_?" Riaku asked, "I've never heard a roar like _that_ before!"

Tyra's eyes swept toward the noise- it had come from the next mountain over, a location that they could reach from the pass on their left. Her grin broadened.

"We're goin' after it."

She set off up the slope, Riaku quickly rushing to her side with a flurry of questions. "What is it? Is it strong? Should we grab Kira? What if it-"

"Hey," She cut him off, her grin unwavering, "I've got a pop quiz for ya, shrimp: what's the apex monster of the snowy mountains?"

He thought about it for a moment. "It's tigrex… Right?"

"You're half-right," She chuckled. "As far as I'm concerned, there's only one monster around here aside from Elder Dragons that could challenge a tigrex's strength- and we're about to be face-to-face with it."

That idea made Riaku nervous, though he couldn't deny that he was excited as well. If Kira knew what they were up to, she certainly would have scolded him again for his recklessness… Though the idea of facing one of the strongest monsters around was incredibly tempting. Especially now that he had trained so hard to get to where he was. Maybe this was his chance to _really_ put his progress to the test.

Tyra's hand shot out to stop him as they approached the corner of a snow wall. She peeked around it, her eyes narrowing and teeth flashing before she pulled back.

"Take a look."

He nodded and stepped forward, holding close to the wall so that he could scope things out without being seen. What met him was a large outcropping off the side of the mountain. Sharp pillars of ice and giant rocks littered the space, and a sheer drop bordered the opposite end of the area. Despite all the hazards, however, the thing that really got his heart pumping was the monster that awaited him.

Looking out over the cliff's edge was a giant monkey, not terribly different in shape from the blangonga. However, its coarse fur was black rather than white, and a tuft of hair sprung form the end of its tail. Despite the monster looking away, Riaku could see two giant horns that sprouted laterally from either side of its head, their presence immediately giving its identity away.

It was a rajang- a nomadic monster so rarely seen that many people went their entire lives without encountering one… A preferable circumstance, given the beast's incredible strength and aggressive demeaner.

The surprised gasp that escaped Riaku's lips caused a large ear to perk in his direction, and he quickly ducked behind the wall to avoid being detected.

"Is that what I think it is?" He asked, shooting Tyra a glance somewhere between fear and awe.

She nodded. "Hell yes it is. Today's our lucky day, scrub- we're squaring off against the top of the top. No more fighting rabbits or pigs, this is the real deal."

He swallowed hard. "Are you sure about this? Shouldn't we at least go get Kira?"

"You scared?" She asked, her aquamarine eyes glinting at him. "You don't think that we could handle it without her?"

"It's not that, I'm just-"

"Just _what_?" She asked with a sneer, "Just when I thought you were getting kinda strong, now you're gonna back out?"

He rubbed his arm. "Well…"

"C'mon, squirt, give me some credit here- you really think I'd push you into this fight without knowing you could do it?" She barked with laughter, "Have some faith in yourself! This is exactly the kind of thing that we've trained for!"

His eyes widened as he remembered Kira saying something similar before his first bulldrome kill. Back then he hadn't known if he could be successful, and her vote of confidence had been the push he needed to prove himself. Now history was repeating itself, and the strongest person he had ever met was telling him he could handle the rajang.

He took a deep breath, then gave her a confident smile. "Okay, let's do it! If you think I'm ready, then I believe you!"

She beamed and gave him a rough pat on the back before drawing her sword. "Alright, let's go fuck shit up!"

He nodded and drew his own sword before the two rounded the corner, finding that the rajang had turned to face them- undoubtedly drawn by Tyra's voice. From this side Riaku could see the bloodred eyes and long face that glared at them from beneath its hulking frame. Slowly, confidently, it padded toward them on all fours, shaking its shoulders free of loose snow as the two parties approached one another.

Riaku's heartbeat hammered in his ears as the monster's eyes stared down at him. Everything he knew about the rajang was from the Hunter's Encyclopedia, and right now he was calling on every last bit of that knowledge to get him through this fight; they were fast and foul-tempered, with a proclivity for powerful electric attacks once they entered their fearsome rage modes. They could jump at incredible heights, and-

He snapped from his thoughts when the rajang suddenly sprang onto its back legs, beating at its chest a few times before throwing its head back with a thunderous roar. Both of the hunters instinctively took on a defensive stance- Tyra ducking behind her great sword and Riaku behind his shield- before the roar ended and launched them into the battle headfirst.

The rajang had started by sprinting their way on all fours, barely leaving its targets enough time to roll out of the way. No sooner had they done so, it whipped around and drove its hands into the snow, struggling for a moment before dislodging two giant boulders and chucking them at their respective targets. Riaku quickly dodged out of the way, though Tyra had a different plan. With a broad grin, she jumped at the rock as it flew toward her, landing on it in midair only to vault off with her sword held high over her shoulder. The rajang hadn't accounted for this action, and as such was subject to a hefty blow- though as a last-second block, it swung its head upward so that one of its horns could intercept the hit.

Tyra cursed as her great sword bounced off the sturdy horn. She landed in the snow and immediately blocked a punch that tilled her feet backward. The rajang prepared to attack her again, though its ear perked in time to jump out of the way of Riaku's own downward slash.

"This thing is fast!" He breathed as two predatory red eyes shifted between the hunters.

"No kidding," She replied, her eyes sharp despite her lingering grin. "It's getting me all pumped up!"

She tore after the rajang, whose eyes settled on her in return. It took a few bounds in her direction before sliding to a stop with a posture that Riaku recognized. Tyra must have realized what it was doing too, as she cursed and blocked with her sword again as the giant monkey spun in a tight circle.

Fists and horns rained down onto Tyra's weapon as the rajang finished with its spinning and instead began beating mercilessly at the girl. Riaku saw this as his chance and ran into a duck before springing upwards as high as he could manage. The idea was to grapple onto its back, as he had with the blangonga, though he hadn't accounted for the rajang's phenomenal reaction time. Two red eyes shifted to its left, and before Tyra could even cry out, a fist rocked against Riaku's side.

Spit and blood exploded from his mouth as he was launched back-first into a giant icicle, sticking to it for a moment before falling limply into the snow.

"Riaku!"

Tyra watched in shock as his body crumpled before turning a dangerous glare on the monster. She hoisted the great sword over her shoulder before swinging it into the snow with enough force to yank her body upward- an action that she met with another downward slash, dislodging and slinging the blade with twice the usual velocity. The metallic edge met its mark and sent the rajang rolling onto its side, a fresh gash opened in its ribs. It writhed in pain momentarily before shooting to its feet again and diving at the girl with a rattling growl.

Grunts, crashes, and animalistic cries sounded from nearby while Riaku lay in the snow. The world spun around him and a light trickle of blood seeped from the corner of his mouth. He lowered his eyes to his satchel and numbly reached for the clasp, the action causing the dull pain in his back to flare up. He hissed but forced himself to move anyway, knowing that time was of the essence. A moment was spent blindly grasping for a glass bottle, and he thanked the Great Force when he retrieved a vial of green liquid rather than blue. Popping the cork off the top, he lifted the glass to his lips and downed the contents with a wince before lowering his head once more.

Meanwhile, Tyra was having a steady exchange with the rajang. She swung her sword clumsily, though its size meant that she didn't have to be completely accurate in order to be effective. Claws and fists collided with steel as both parties unleashed a constant barrage against their opponent.

It wasn't that she was worried about losing- after all, in the end she _was_ an Origin Monster. A shift in forms was all it would take to turn her equal footing with the rajang into an advantage, and from there the fight would be history… No, instead she was worried about Riaku. The anxiety she felt toward his wellbeing was alien to her, though not unprecedented- he had taken one hell of a hit, and she wasn't sure if a human could survive something like that.

She was shaken from her thoughts by a sudden shout. "Keep him right there!"

Her eyes widened just before her grin did. The rajang, having heard the command, made to whip toward the set of footsteps that were rapidly approaching it from behind, though Tyra wasn't about to let it do so without consequence. She delivered a horizontal slash into its side once it had turned, causing it to flinch long enough for Riaku to go for the throat… Literally.

He charged toward the beast before leaping forward with his weapon held high over his head. The rajang recoiled from Tyra's hit just in time to open a window for his sword to carve into the side of its neck, sending a splash of dark blood into the snow below. From there he had planned to drive the tip into its jugular and finish the fight- though, once again, the rajang astounded him with its great speed.

No sooner had his blade emerged from the end of his downward slash, a blinding golden light erupted from the rajang's fur. In the same instant it leaped backward, landing several meters from the hunters and lifting its head to deliver another chilling roar. Tyra and Riaku exchanged looks before eyeing the now golden monkey- reflective yellow fur bristled from its shoulders and ran in stripes down its black legs. The implications of this change weren't lost on them… It had entered its fury mode.

Tyra chuckled and adjusted her grip on the great sword. "Nice work, not dying back there. I think you might have pissed him off, though."

Riaku grunted and removed the shield from his brace, opting to hold it properly in his left hand. "You know, that attack really hurt. Should we pay him back?"

"Hell yeah!"

With that the two shot forward, though they tapered to their respective sides as the rajang planted its fists in the snow, bracing itself as it opened its mouth to unleash a beam of powerful electrical energy. Riaku stared at the spinning yellow beam in awe before shifting his gaze back to the target.

Before long the two were within striking distance, and lunged to attack either of its sides while the beam of lightning subsided. Unfortunately, their blades met air rather than fur as the rajang sprung straight upward. Two warranted confused looks rose after it, replaced quickly by surprise.

"Tyra, look out!"

He could hardly shout the words out before the rajang descended upon her at a blinding speed, spinning in a ball of crackling electricity as it did so. Tyra was sent flying backward from the hit, though she quickly slid to a stop as she planted her feet into the snow. Even as she leaned against her sword with a wince, Riaku was glad to see that she was relatively unharmed- a sentiment that would have been even more heartwarming had he not been running and diving from a repeat of the same attack, steaming craters left in his wake with each time the rajang shot down at him before bouncing back up.

Finally, though, the monkey landed for good and immediately began digging into the ground with its front claws. Riaku watched with curiosity that morphed into fear as it lugged a massive chunk of earth above its head with both hands- the size of which dwarfed some entire buildings back in Pokke. It was only when the rajang began to hoist the stone back, its eyes locked on Riaku, that his face paled and he turned to run out of the way. Unfortunately, the monster wasn't stupid, and launched the unlikely projectile at its target with a bit of a lead.

By this point it was too late to turn around without being clipped, and the cliff beside him meant that he couldn't afford to run in that direction… Not to mention that it was flying too low for him to go under, and its size meant jumping over it would be nay impossible. That left him one choice.

His teeth grit as he ran straight along, painfully aware of the rock's approach as his feet pounded against the snow beneath him. It was going to be a terrifyingly close call, and in the end Riaku was forced to dive for safety. He sprung forward with all his strength, leaping out of the way of the stone's edge with an adept-style twist. He landed and slowed to a stop in time to see the giant boulder roll off the side of the cliff, and only then felt any relief.

"Not bad, scrub!" Tyra called from nearby, not daring to take her eyes off the rajang. "Now, I'm not usually the type for planning during a fight, but… You got any ideas on how to finish him off?"

Riaku caught his own breath as he observed the rajang. It was watching them closely with predatory eyes set above a mouth that panted white clouds.

"Why don't you give me some of your force, then turn into your Origin form? Killing it should be easy that way."

She shook her head. "Here's your first lesson on using powers; they're nice to have, but you can't always rely on them to get you out of a sticky situation. It's just like your shield- sometimes using it might not be in the cards, or it could be that there's another way to get through without using them. What I'm saying is, elements don't have infinite juice, and you've gotta be careful not to overuse them."

"Okay…" He said slowly, "But aren't we… You know, fighting for our lives here? What better time is there to use force than right now?"

She groaned in exasperation. "You still don't get it, do you? This is a _test_! There's no cheating on a test- at least not when _I'm_ the teacher. You're not using force, and likewise, I'm not using my Origin form. That way we both have to actually fight… Besides, this would be too easy otherwise."

"Ah," He breathed, "So _that's_ your real motive in all of this. You want to make the fight last."

"And so what if I do?" She asked defiantly, "Whatever the case, we can't stare this guy down forever. Sooner or later he'll recover his stamina and bring the fight back to us- so what are we gonna do?"

Riaku's eyebrows furrowed as he assessed the situation. The rajang was quick and powerful, but all of these attacks weren't without cost; it was getting winded, which left it vulnerable. He may have been unable to mount it earlier, but maybe there was still a way that he could make that strategy work.

"… Okay, here's the plan," He began in a low voice, "We have to tire him out some more. Make him mad, get him moving- then, I'll need you to help me with something."

"Depends on what it is."

His eyes flickered to her great sword. "When I give the signal, I want you to hold your sword flat out in front of you. Can you do that?"

Her grin deepened. "Ah, I see what you're goin' for here… Alright, it's worth a shot!"

He nodded and turned back to their adversary before breaking into a run. "We've got to act quick, before he regains any more energy!"

"You've got it!"

The two charged side-by-side at the rajang again, who once more ran to meet them. As they closed in, however, it launched into an attack that they had yet to see- a set of low punches, given extra range by the broad reach of its large arms. Riaku immediately dodged to the right of the attack, though Tyra met the punches with a block. The rajang continued to pummel against the steel of her sword while Riaku ran in a tight arc before lashing out at the beast's hind leg. In response it immediately wheeled away from Tyra and swung at him, leaving an opening for Tyra to slash at the other hind leg.

Rocks were thrown, fists and horns too, though the two hunters worked together to keep the pressure off one another until the telltale signs of fatigue began to show in the rajang. As it paused, slouching for a brief moment to catch its breath, Riaku cut toward Tyra while hooking his shield back into its brace.

"Now!"

Her teeth flashed in the sunlight as she did as instructed, holding the flat of her sword in front of her so that it was parallel with the ground. Riaku might have had trouble reaching the rajang's back before, though now he had something to vault off of- and since the monster's reaction time was hindered by its weariness, he actually had a chance at grappling without being swatted from the air.

To Riaku's elation, the plan worked- he hopped up onto the sword, then jumped from it as Tyra flung him upward like a springboard. He reached the rajang's back with ease and immediately fell into a grapple.

As to be expected, though, the rajang went berserk at feeling the hunter mounting it. It rose to its back legs to roar once more, Riaku helpless but to grimace at the assault on his ears. What happened next, however, was even more unpleasant- the giant monkey began to stumble about on its hind legs while grasping blindly for the hunter with its front. Riaku hunkered into its fur, thankful that he landed in a spot that made reaching him practically impossible. The rajang sensed that, too, as it suddenly fell onto all fours and leaped forward, flipping in the air so that it would land on the ground back-first. Riaku's eyes bugged and he scrambled to the beast's chest just as a crash threw him off balance.

A second passed in which the rajang rested on its back, and Riaku hastily made to drive his sword into its throat- though it was then that a vicelike force gripped him. Riaku looked down and felt his heart lurch when he saw three massive, clawed digits wrapped around his torso. Immediately after, the rajang plucked him from its front before rolling onto all fours again.

It held Riaku in front of it, its furious eyes boring into his own as hot breath repeatedly puffed against his face. The grip on him tightened even a bit more, forcing the air from his lungs in a pained wheeze, before the rajang turned for the edge of the cliff.

Riaku saw what was happening and began to squirm furiously, though his arms were pinned to his sides by the monster's grasp. Dread pooled in his stomach as the rajang drew its arm back, preparing to send the young hunter flying down the side of the mountain- a fall that he was unlikely to survive. It was a horrifying prospect- though in the heat of the moment, both Riaku and the rajang had forgotten that they weren't alone.

Tyra growled as she rushed up to the rajang, both hands gripping the handle of her great sword as it was held high over her right shoulder. It immediately cut a look at the noise rather than tossing Riaku to his death- an instinctive mistake that would cost it dearly.

The sword flashed, followed quickly by a spray of dark blood that erupted from the beast's arm. It flinched with a pained cry, its hold on Riaku loosening enough that he could struggle free and fell into the snow below. The hunter had barely gulped down his first breath of oxygen when Tyra yelled at him.

"Attack, now!"

His eyes shot upward to find that he was just in front of the rajang's chest. With eyes that widened in late realization, he lunged forward with his sword held at his right hip. Then, once he was directly under the monster's throat, he swung to his upper-left with both hands, crying in exertion as he did so. The sword sliced cleanly through its target, the tender flesh of the rajang's neck providing little resistance to Riaku's adrenalin-fueled slash.

A growl caught in the beast's throat, only to be replaced by muffled gurgling and a series of rapid coughs. Its giant hands shot to its jugular as it rose to its back feet once more, stumbling backward a few steps before tumbling onto its back and thrashing about wildly.

Riaku and Tyra watched on with heavy breaths as it tossed snow and earth about in its struggle, until suddenly, it was still.

To sets of wide eyes sought each other out, followed quickly by beaming grins.

"We… We did it!" Riaku breathed, his eyes flickering between the rajang's corpse and his mentor. "We really just killed a rajang! Are we _nuts_?"

Tyra barked with laughter before stepping close and pulling Riaku into one of her famous headlocks. "Maybe, but who cares? We just whooped the top of the food chain!"

Riaku laughed even as she ruffled his hair, only speaking up again once she had let him go. "By the way, are you okay? You took a pretty hard hit back there."

She shrugged. "Yeah, I had to let him land _something_ , you know? Nothing that a bit of food won't fix!"

He sighed in relief before turning to look back at the fallen monster, whose fur had returned to the black state that they found it in. "What do we do now? That wasn't a Guild quest, so we don't have a retrieval cart ready…"

"We'll just have to pay for one, then." She said while scratching her cheek with a finger, "No way in hell we're leaving this thing out here to rot."

"Yeah, definitely not," He chuckled, "C'mon, let's get going!"

And so the two began the trek back to Pokke. Along the way they chatted excitedly about the hunt- Riaku more so than Tyra- though she, too, seemed to enjoy recounting the crazy adventure they had just shared. It was only when they entered the grassy field that they used for his training that she fell silent, and soon after, slowed to a stop beside him.

Riaku made it a few steps before realizing that she had paused and turned back to face her. "Is something wrong?"

She eyed him for a moment before turning to look out over the lake. It was nearing sundown now, and the world was cast in oranges and golds. The water shimmered, and a gentle breeze caused the grass around them to fan.

"Y'know," She began, "Today is technically a training day… So before we head back to town, let's spar."

"Spar?" He echoed while scratching his head. "But what about the rajang? Shouldn't we get back to it as soon as possible?"

"That thing's an apex predator," Her eyes swept back to meet his own. "Anything that stumbles across it is likely to run from fear of whatever killed it. It'll be fine for a bit."

With that she unsheathed her great sword as though the matter was settled. Riaku, for one, was anxious to get back to his trophy as soon as possible, though he knew better than to argue with her.

"Alright," He agreed while readying his own sword, "Let's make this quick, then."

"That all depends on you, shrimp." Her eyes flashed above a grin, "The sooner you beat me, the sooner we can go get it."

As it turned out, that was pretty good motivation. Riaku lunged at her, his sword at his side. He had never defeated her in a spar yet, as she tended to bat the sword out of his hand with little effort. This time, though, he had a plan… A strategy he had been working out for quite a while. It was simple and perhaps a bit unrealistic, though it was the best he had.

As he approached her, she started her usual routine of readying her sword for a sideways swipe. The idea was to knock the weapon from his hands at the first possible opening to do so, though she had become predictable in this routine. He feinted a strike against her guard just enough to initiate her counterattack, but didn't actually commit. The moment that she began to swing back, he juked to her right, prompting her to raise her sword again as she turned to assess his movements. He smirked- this was exactly what he was waiting for.

The moment that the sword had straightened in her hold, he made to take advantage of her casual one-handed grip. He launched himself at the side of the blade, shield first, with an aim at the highest part he could reach- which turned out to be pretty high, given his training. The shield bashed against the end of her sword with all the force he could throw at it, though even then he was skeptical as to whether or not this would be enough to dislodge it from her grasp.

To his amazement, though, it worked- the force of the impact leveraged the hunk of steel from her grip, sending the sword flipping to the ground. Both of their eyes widened in surprise before they turned from the discarded blade to face each other.

"There," He said, unable to keep the smile from his face or confidence from his voice, "I win. Now can we go get the rajang?"

Tyra eyed him for a moment, still shocked silent, before she grinned back. There was a flash of movement and a shock sent up either of his arms before he, too, was left disarmed- his sword and shield sent flying into the dirt alongside her own weapon.

He hadn't the time to ask why she had batted his equipment away before she cracked her knuckles in front of her. "Well, shit! You _actually_ got me to let go of my sword… I have to say, I didn't think you had it in you!"

It was at this point that she began to circle him, and in the interest of his own safety, he mirrored her movements to keep a safe distance between them.

"Uh… Tyra? What are you doing?" He asked with a bit more fear in his voice than he had intended to let on.

She chuckled. "We're moving on to stage two of sparing: hand-to-hand combat!"

She suddenly lunged at him, tackling him to the ground and pinning his arms to the dirt in one fluid movement. "Alright, _hero_ , here's the deal- you pin me for five seconds and you win. Simple as that."

Normally this sort of challenge would have seemed impossible, but his confidence was through the roof given everything that had taken place that day. With a grunt of effort as his response, he wrapped his legs around her waist and twisted his body, driving her back against the ground as he took the position that she held just a moment ago.

"Easy," He whispered down at her, secretly counting the seconds in his head.

Her momentarily surprise dissolved as she raised her knees to plant the soles of her feet against the ground, then sprung forward with enough force to reclaim her throne. This time she was sure to hold him more tightly, not just by redoubling her grip on his arms, but also by straddling his hips to pin him there, too. She grinned down at him as he struggled to free himself, kicking his legs futilely and desperately trying to squirm either of his arms free.

"Easy, huh?" She shot back, "Doesn't look like it to me- but hey, feel free to wiggle all you want."

He did just that- grunting and panting as he tried any number of different things to come loose from her hold. No matter what he did, though, she didn't budge. Several strenuous minutes of this passed before she spoke up again.

"You know, you could at least _try_ to be a challenge…" She taunted him, reciting something she had said the first day they had met. "You know, if I were you, I'd give up on all that 'saving the world' crap."

His eyebrow cocked in momentary confusion before he caught on to what she was doing and redoubled his efforts. "I won't do that…"

Her grin broadened. "It's nice to have dreams, kid, but you need to face the facts. You sure as Hell aren't a hunter."

He strained to pull free before refraining for a moment, looking up at her with a red face and deep breaths. "I know I'm not strong right now… But I will be. I'll become strong- even stronger than _you_. I swear on my life."

Her grip on him tightened, causing him to gasp in discomfort. She leaned in so that her face was a bit closer to his own.

"Stay down and maybe I'll let that little remark slide," She offered in a murmur so soft that it was nearly a whisper. "Stop playing the hero and you might just make it home in one piece."

His blue eyes sparked as they stared into her own, defiant until the very end. "I won't give up. I _refuse_ to."

Her heart lurched- he was making that face again… That damned face that always put her guard down. His eyebrows were furrowed a bit in effort, his cheeks red from exertion. Despite his compromising position, though, his lips curled up at the edges, just enough to portray a naïve confidence- a confidence that he shouldn't have. One that he didn't deserve.

He was part-human.

He was weak.

He was beneath her.

He was…

She swallowed, her smile having completely melted away with the sudden heat in her cheeks. She remembered every single time that he had made that face over the past few months… From the first time they met, throughout the countless hours of workouts that she had him do, after each successful hunt, or even just during menial conversation, when the topic happened to be in his interest.

He was the first to have put up with her for so long.

He was the first to make it worth settling in one place.

He was the only one who really listened to her, and constantly thanked her for her help.

He was the only one who looked at her, not as a threat or a burden, but as a partner.

She let out a rattling breath, still staring into his eyes.

He was…

"Uh… Tyra?" He asked, traces of concern in his expression. "Are you alright? Your face is all-"

The last word was cut off when her lips suddenly connected with his own.

While his eyes widened, hers closed. She savored the feeling of their kiss- no matter how one-sided it was- and in that moment, realized that it wasn't that he made her _weak_ … It was that, for once in her life, she cared about something and was terrified of losing it. It wasn't a good feeling, but he was worth it. Her gut feeling said so.

Finally, she pulled back from the kiss and opened her eyes. He was staring up at her with unrestrained shock, though that wasn't a surprise- nor was what he said next.

"D-Did you just-"

"-Yep."

He blinked twice. "Okay, and, uh… _Why_?"

She chuckled before raising a hand to brush the hair from his forehead. "Duh. It's because I _like_ you, Riaku. Dumb-ass."

He swallowed hard. "You called me by my actual name? You, like, _never_ do that."

Her eyes softened. "Maybe I should, though… I kinda like it. It's not a bad name for a scrub."

He stared up at her for another moment before avoiding her eyes with a conflicted expression. "Look… It's not that… It's just… I'm with Kira, you know?"

Her gaze flashed dangerously. "You mean you don't like me back?"

His eyes widened. "No, I never said that!"

"Then let's figure this out," She began, "Do you think I look good?"

He looked away once again. "… Yeah."

Her smile grew a bit. "And you think my body's sexy, don't you?"

He didn't answer verbally, though the growing intensity of his blush answered for him.

"So, I'm a suitable mate physically," She deduced, "And you already said that you like strong women, right? Well, I've got good news, pal: they don't come any stronger than _me_. So, what's holding you back from the catch of a lifetime?"

"Like I said, I'm with Kira…" He answered in a low voice, "So… I can't be with you. I'm sorry."

Contrary to the shitstorm that he thought would follow rejecting her, she actually seemed amused by what he had said.

"Ah, I get it. There's been a bit of a… Miscommunication," She leaned close again, "Here's the deal; my confession wasn't really a _question_ , Riaku, more like a declaration. You and me? We're a thing now. If pony girl has a problem with that, then she can take it up with me."

He opened his mouth to argue, but was helpless to stop her from silencing him with another kiss- this time with a bit more vigor. By the time she had pulled away, a thread of saliva connecting their tongues, his head was left fuzzy and light.

"You obviously haven't learned how things work in the monster world," She continued as though she hadn't just spontaneously made out with him, "See, where we're from, we either compete for mates or share 'em- and since miss know-it-all and I both have the hots for you, we're gonna have to settle things one of those two ways. Don't worry, though- if it comes down to fighting over you, I won't lose again."

Despite her best attempt at setting his worries aside, he still looked conflicted. "But isn't this… Wrong?"

She barked with laughter. "Listen, Riaku- whether you like it or not, you're not completely human. You were brought up playing by their rules, but you've still got some monster inside of you. What's wrong to the humans might be totally normal for us, and if you know what's good for you, then you'll learn to compromise on a few things."

"But-"

He couldn't say more as she once again began kissing him. This time it was only once he was almost out of breath that she pulled away, licking her lips as he gasped for air.

"Be a doll and drop it, alright? Today's been a good day, and I'd hate to have it ruined over something so stupid."

He was still unsure about the situation, but knew better than to fight her when her mind was set on something. At this point he would have to let Tyra sort the matter out with Kira… Which was an exchange that deeply, deeply worried him.

"… Fine, I'll stop bringing it up for now."

She beamed and ruffled his hair. "Good hubby~ Keep this up and you'll get lucky with me in no time!"

He turned his head to avoid her gaze, though couldn't keep the returning blush from his cheeks at the thought.

With his compliance, Tyra seemed content to end their sparring. She helped him up from the ground and they gathered their weapons before continuing on their way to Pokke, Tyra chatting along the way while Riaku fell deep into thought.

All in all it had been an incredible day- he had met his goals, slayed an apex monster, and even managed to disarm Tyra in a sparring session… Speaking of which, he was definitely anxious about this new progression in their relationship, though there was a bit of giddiness in that regard as well. After all, she might have been a bit rough and abrasive, but he couldn't deny that she had just as many good traits as bad. Unfortunately subtlety wasn't one of those traits, though… Which promised to make breaking the news to Kira an _Interesting_ experience.

The other issue lied in that Tyra was the sort to do what she wanted without care for the opinions of others, which promised plenty of PDA in Riaku's future… Some of which she was already getting an early start on.

He squirmed uncomfortably from beside her. "Hey, uh… Would you mind letting go of my butt?"

She gave him a mischievous grin. "What? You don't _like_ it?"

"Not particularly… And we'll be in town soon, so-"

"-All the more reason for me to enjoy it while I can!"

He sighed. "Fine, just… Keep it at this level, alright?"

"Sure thing."

…

 _Smack_!

"Hey! You _just_ said you'd keep it tame!"

"Yeah, yeah. Don't worry, that was the last time."

"Good."

…

 _Smack_!

" _Hey_!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Full disclosure- it's been a while since I've pumped mad iron. I might be a bit rusty on workout terminology, and some of the events that transpired in this chapter might seem unrealistic or unhealthy. If that is the case, then I'll rely on your suspension of disbelief- just imagine that force or Riaku's Origin side held some weight that aided his progress.
> 
> Speaking of progress, I purposely left the lengths of time that passed between scenes vague. This way we could fast-forward through some of his physical improvement, as well as some of the time spent bonding with Tyra, in the interest of keeping the pacing steady. As an aside, assume that two to three months had passed since he met Kira by the end of this chapter.
> 
> As always, thank you so much for reading! I'll try to have the next chapter out soon.  
> -S/L


End file.
